SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – A two-goal night from Brant Romaniuk, that featured the game-winner, propelled the Timmins Rock to a narrow 3-2 win over the Soo Eagles Thursday evening in Game 4 of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League quarter-final at Pullar Stadium.
This sees Timmins go up 3-1 in the best-of-seven set heading into Game 5, which goes Friday back at Pullar Stadium at 7:30 p.m.
Neither side would could covert offensively in a scoreless opening 20 minutes as the clubs went to their respective dressing rooms for the first intermission still in search of a goal.
That initial tally came at 5:52 of the second period when the Eagles clicked on a five-on-three and saw Tyler Fortson move down the slot from up high and wire a wrister past Rock netminder Dryden Riley.
Tying in up quickly into a power play of their own, Lucas Lowe drew Timmins level as he took a pass from Braedyn Cyr of the left side and whipped it by Soo starter Mason Burkes.
The helper for Cyr has him picking up at least one point in all for games of the series so far.
A second in the stanza gave the visitors the lead at 18:13 thanks to Romaniuk, who took a feed from Elijah Pool and ripped one in from between the circles.
In the third period, Timmins went up by two midway through the session as they connected while up a skater once more as Romaniuk made a slight toe drag in the high slot and then zipped a shot into the right corner under the glove of Burkes.
Pulling back to within one with 7:20 remaining in regulation, the Eagles’ Cooper Fredericks collected his first of the playoffs as he scooped up a big rebound off the pad Riley and knocked it in.
A strong forecheck from the Rock at the end helped secure the road victory and put them a win away from moving on in the playoffs.
NOJHL quarter-final
No. 4 Timmins Rock vs. No. 5 Soo Eagles
Rock lead best-of-seven series 3-1
Game 1: Rock 4 Eagles 1
Game 2: Rock 4 Eagles 0
Game 3: Eagles 5 Rock 3
Game 4: Rock 3 Eagles 2
Game 5: Friday, March 28 @ Sault Ste. Marie 7:30 p.m. (Pullar Stadium)
Game 6*: Sunday, March 30 @ Timmins 8 p.m. (McIntyre Arena)
Game 7*: Monday, March 31 @ Timmins 7:30 p.m. (McIntyre Arena)
*-if necessary
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