COCHRANE, Ont. – The Timmins Rock got a hat trick from defenceman Cameron Dutkiewicz as part of a 7-1 triumph over the Cochrane Crunch Friday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest at Tim Hortons Event Centre.
Timmins’ league-leading power play percentage went to work six and a half minutes into the contest when Dutkiewicz let a high-rising attempt go from mid-ice at the blueline that sailed through a crowd and in.
The visitors clicked again via the man advantage at 12:45 as Liam Wells finished off a lengthy rush into the Cochrane zone by Tyler Schwindt to give the guests a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes of play.
Pressing the pace early in the second, Timmins tacked on two more before the period was three minutes old to extend the edge to four.
Rock captain Schwindt provided the third one at 1:19 as he pressured three Crunch defenders before going top shelf while cutting through the high slot.
Coming right back, the Rock’s Dutkiewicz picked up his second of the night as he darted in from the point along the left side and proceeded to wire one short side into the upper portion of the net over Nickolau’s blocker.
Taking their cushion into the final frame, Wells put Timmins further ahead 63 seconds in as he scored on a wrap-around as he darted around the back of the net and put the puck in before the Cochrane goalkeeper could across with his skate and pad.
Dutkiewicz then completed his three-goal night at 12:30 as his screen shot from the right point went past a pair of Crunch defenders before finding the bottom left corner of the net.
Nolan Ring then added to the visitors lead just over a minute later to put them up by seven.
Cochrane did eventually break the Rock’s Gavin McCarthy shutout bid with Ryan Matthews banking one in off a defender while on the power play with 3:05 to go.
Timmins’ McCarthy got the win, making 28 saves while Nickolau was pelted with a season-high 76 shots against in defeat.