Photos: Turnbull’s Northern Photography
IROQUOIS FALLS, Ont. – A Mason Svarich marker, 5:15 into overtime, gave the Timmins Rock a 3-2 win against the Iroquois Falls Storm Thursday in Game 4 of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League East Division semifinal at Jus Jordan Arena.
The outcome results in a four-game sweep for the Rock in the series and sends them to the East Final against either the Powassan Voodoos or Hearst Lumberjacks.
Powassan currently leads that best-of-seven match-up 3-1, heading into Game 5 Friday in Hearst.
Iroquois Falls opened the scoring in this one after converting on a man advantage 11:32 into the proceedings with Patrice Lafontaine battling in front and lifting one over a downed Patrick Boivin in the Timmins net.
Drawing even in the back half of the second stanza, Brant Romaniuk sent Svarich in on a two-on-one where he elected to shoot and saw him sizzle one by the blocker of Storm goaltender Connor Hatfield.
Staying 1-1 into the third, Iroquois Falls retook the lead when Andrew Scott swiped a bouncing puck from the Rock defenceman and quickly whipped it in from the slot.
Hitting the ice on a line change, Kaeden McArthur tied it to force extra time as he worked his way out of the corner and in between the circles, then banged in a rebound off a diving attempt by Nolan Ring with 5:15 remaining in regulation.
In OT, Svarich won it after breaking free at his own blueline, then racing down the ice and managing to put the series-winner through the legs of Hatfield to end it and send Timmins on to the divisional final.
NOJHL East Division semifinal
Iroquois Falls Storm vs. Timmins Rock
Timmins wins best-of-seven series 4-0
Game 1: Rock 5 Storm 1
Game 2: Rock 6 Storm 0
Game 3: Rock 6 Storm 3
Game 4: Rock 3 Storm 2 (OT)
“Highlight of the Night” – NOJHL YouTube Channel