TIMMINS, Ont. – A three-goal first period surge sent the Timmins Rock on their way to an eventual 5-1 victory over the Iroquois Falls Storm Sunday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League matinee at McIntyre Arena.
A favourable bounce off a skate benefitted the Rock early as it allowed Maxx Hamelin to corral the loose puck behind the net and fire it in front where Diego Da Silva quickly snapped it past Storm starter Nathan Boudreau, just 76 seconds into the contest.
Picking up another later in the first period, Timmins took a 2-0 lead at 13:23 when Hamelin took a head-man pass up from Kaeden McArthur and darted up the left wing before roofing one on Boudreau.
A late man advantage marker saw the home side extend their cushion into the intermission as Da Silva finished off a cross-ice feed from Lucas Lowe.
In the middle frame, the Rock made it 4-0 as McArthur got around an Iroquois Falls defenceman, then while driving left-to-right through the crease, used a slight hesitation before lifting in a backhand for his team-leading 32nd tally of the season.
Eventually ending the bid for an initial NOJHL shutout by Timmins’ Virgil Sausset-Plateaux, moments into a power play midway through the third, Colin Jennings quickly snapped in a direct feed, while parked between the circles, from Mathieu Ouellette.
The hosts matched that while up a skater after that to round out the scoring when Hamelin pumped in a back-door pass down low off a Paradiso set-up.
Snapping a six-game winless streak, the Rock improved to 31-12-0-3 overall, while in defeat, the Storm slipped to 13-28-2-3.
Also of note, with losses by both Iroquois Falls and Blind River Sunday, that secures a playoff spot for the Soo Eagles, who currently sit in seventh spot in the league standings, with the top eight teams qualifying for the upcoming post-season.
Game Photos:
Thomas Perry – The Daily Press/Postmedia Network
