ESPANOLA, Ont. – A Cameron Menard marker 1:53 into overtime was the difference maker as the Espanola Paper Kings edged the Timmins Rock 4-3 in a back-and-forth Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest Saturday at the Regional Recreation Complex.
A late first period shorthanded effort saw Timmins open the scoring at 17:44 when Kaeden McArthur forced a turnover at his own blueline, then muscled his way down the ice and neatly tucked a backhand through Espanola starter Logan Vale.
Still on the power play, the Paper Kings tied things up 30 seconds later thanks to Callum Millar who blasted a rocket from the right circle that clipped off teammate Colton Loiselle and flew past Rock netminder Ayden Mullen.
Up a skater three minutes into the middle stanza, Brant Romaniuk put the visitors back in front when he roofed a shot over the shoulder of Vale from a sharp angle.
Tying it once more, Millar darted up ice with pace during a power play and after wheeling into the Timmins end wired a wrister that got by Mullen.
A third extra-man effort saw Espanola take their first lead, five minutes into the final frame, as some crisp puck movement by the home side led to Loiselle whipping in a pass put on the tape by Emerson De Giacomo.
Coming back to force OT, a sixth special teams goal on the evening had Diego Da Silva pull the Rock even at 17:33 on a man advantage and with Mullen out for an additional attacker as he hammered a shot from the right side off a face-off win.
Heading to the extra session, Menard won it as he completed a three-way passing play with Graydon Guthrie and De Giacomo by whipping in the winner into the open corner for his 12th goal of the season to secure the victory.
