TIMMINS, Ont. – Two of the best players in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League history went out in style Tuesday evening as the Timmins Rock topped the Cochrane Crunch 3-0 at McIntyre Arena.
Timmins goaltender Tyler Masternak turned aside every shot he faced on the night to record his NOJHL record-best 18th career shutout, while Rock captain Derek Seguin scored once and assisted on the game-winner as part of the season-ending triumph.
Staying scoreless until deep into the opening period, Timmins did get on the board before the session was complete.
Seguin started that play by sending a cross-ice feed over to Evan Beaudry at the right point who let a low shot go that went through a screen in front and may have clipped off the skate of a Cochrane defender before getting past Crunch netminder Michael Nickolau.
Some crafty stick by Josh Dickson in the slot aided in the home side adding to their lead seven and a half minutes into the middle stanza as he sent a perfect pass over to Seguin in close, where he promptly buried his league-best 23rd tally of the campaign.
Continuing to press, Timmins tacked on another a couple of shifts later when Cole Williamson fired one from up high that skipped off the end boards and right in front to Zach Smith, who was left with a tap-in from the right of Nickolau.
In the final period of the season, Masternak did what he usually accomplished on most nights in his time in the league, by handling each of the attempts he saw to post shutout No. 18 to wrap-up his tenure in the NOJHL.
Another Rock veteran, in Riley Robitaille, dished out a pair of assists in the victory.
As for Nickolau of the Crunch, he saw 38 shots fired his way in defeat.
Game Photos:
Thomas Perry – The Daily Press/Postmedia Network
