KIRKLAND LAKE, Ont. – Kevin Ford scored 4:08 into the second overtime to help the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners pull out a 6-5 win over the Timmins Rock Saturday in a back and forth Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League affair at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.
Kirkland Lake came out quickly in this one grabbing a 2-0 lead early on Alex Storjohann’s seventh of the season and Roberto Lentini’s initial NOJHL tally.
After Cole Gilligan got one back for Timmins 3:37 into the middle session, Storjohann connected on the power play at 12:14 to restore their two-goal cushion.
However the Rock countered 16 seconds later thanks to Stewart Parnell, who then added another and promptly tied it at 16:52.
Kirkland Lake came back to regain the lead in the third as William Mizuik reached the 12-goal plateau 29 seconds into the stanza.
Ford then connected on a man advantage just over two minutes later to put the home side back up by two.
Timmins came back yet again to force extra time thanks to Gilligan at 12:41 and an equalizer from team captain Jordan Rendle with 49 seconds remaining in regulation.
After the first five-minute OT solved nothing, the two clubs went to three skaters aside in the second extra session when Ford won it late with his 22nd goal of the season to end it.
Tyler Fyfe had three assists on the night for the Gold Miners while Alexandre Brisson dished out four helpers for Timmins.
Ridge Gerads made 34 saves to record his first NOJHL victory for Kirkland Lake.
Former Gold Miners netminder Jeff Veitch faced 42 attempts against his former club helping the Rock earn a point with the OT setback.
