They’re two of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League’s top teams and it was only fitting that it took overtime to determine a winner.
Colby Arbour scored with 1:56 to go in overtime as the Soo Thunderbirds beat the Timmins Rock 3-2 on Saturday night at the John Rhodes Community Centre.
Arbour got in behind a pair of Timmins players and took a pass from Kaden Dundas before beating Rock goaltender Gavin McCarthy with a deke to give the Thunderbirds the win.
The goal came after Timmins tied the game late in regulation to force the extra frame.
Tyler Schwindt tied the game for Timmins with 1:21 to go in regulation when he scored on a rebound after Bode Dunford’s initial shot from the right faceoff circle was stopped by Thunderbirds goaltender Noah Metivier.
Rookie defenceman Andrew Gibson had given the Thunderbirds a 2-1 lead just 72 seconds into the third period when he beat McCarthy with a shot from the top the right circle that went through a Timmins defender and appeared to handcuff the Rock netminder on the way through.
The Thunderbirds opened the scoring in the game late in the opening period when Dharan Cap stepped around a Timmins player in the right faceoff circle before beating McCarthy with a shot high short side at 17:25.
Former Thunderbirds defenceman Cameron Dutkiewicz tied the game at one for Timmins when he beat Metivier with a shot from the right circle through traffic at 5:42 of the second period.
Metivier finished the night with 38 saves while McCarthy made 21 stops for Timmins.
Winners of four straight games, the Thunderbirds improve to 24-5-2-3 and hold an eight-point lead over the Soo (Mich.) Eagles atop the NOJHL’s West Division.
The Rock pick up a point in the overtime loss and have a record of 25-5-2-1. Timmins sits third in the East Division, three points behind the Hearst Lumberjacks for top spot.
The Thunderbirds return to action on Sunday afternoon on the road against the Espanola Express.