Photos: Allyson Demers
KIRKLAND LAKE, Ont. – Luca Maiuri and Jacob Lamoureux had a couple of goals apiece as part of a 6-1 win for the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners over the Iroquois Falls Storm Wednesday in a chippy Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest at Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.
Some early pressure helped the Gold Miners open the scoring less then two minutes in when Jonah McIndoo put a pass in front from the end boards that saw Lamoureux rip past Storm starter Connor Hatfield.
Kirkland Lake kept coming and went up by a pair a few shifts later when Bruce Grey pumped a shot on net from the top of the left circle, that was stopped, but Maiuri was right there to swat in the rebound.
Keeping the same scoreline into the middle stanza, the home side went by three near the midway point of the proceedings when Inde Abresch corralled a loose puck in close and pumped it upstairs over the shoulder of Hatfield to give him points in four straight outings.
The Gold Miners power play helped add another with newly acquired forward Jason Towindo patiently waiting in the left circle before firing a shot that was deflected in by Maiuri, jammed in front.
Coming right back, Kirkland Lake tacked on another as Aiden Beavan finished off a quick give-and-go with Abresch.
That tally resulted in Iroquois Falls opting to make a goaltending change, with Brodie Haylock coming on in relief.
Supplying some insurance in the third, Lamoureux forced a turnover at his own blueline, then raced in alone on a breakaway and finished off his chance by putting a shot over the blocker of Haylock.
An late extended man advantage marker helped the Storm dash the bid of Kirkland Lake’s Graydon Mole for his first NOJHL shutout when Patrice Lafontaine went to the slot and dished a feed over to Joey Blouin who chipped it by Mole.
Mole did however pick-up his initial league victory in helping the Gold Miners snap an eight-game winless streak and improve to 5-13-3-1 on the season.
In defeat, the Storm fell to 7-18-0-1.
