Photos: Turnbull’s Northern Photography
IROQUOIS FALLS, Ont. – The Timmins Rock built up a big lead, then had to withstand a late offensive push by the Iroquois Falls Storm before eventually prevailing 8-6 in a high-scoring Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League meeting Saturday at Jus Jordan Arena.
Timmins started strong, skating out to a 2-0 lead before the contest was three minutes in.
Jack Kelly notched the first one for the Rock during a man advantage and stuffed in a loose puck laying at the top of the crease on Storm starter Brodie Haylock.
The visitors then added another right after that as Mason Svarich was sent in by Jaden Lyons and snapped in his fifth goal in just over three periods of play.
Adding one more, via the power play, Timmins extended their edge a few shifts later with Liam Wells converting as he wheeled down the right wing and picked the bottom left corner.
Getting one back late in the frame, Owen Cassidy teed up Lucas Peever to blast a one-timer from the right circle that flew past Rock netminder Dryden Riley.
However, Timmins got that right back thanks to Kelly’s second of the session off an odd-man rush that saw him whip in a cross-ice set-up from in close.
Coming out quickly in the middle session, Thomas Beard connected 12 seconds into the stanza with a well-placed attempt on Haylock from the right circle.
Some nice passing while up a skater midway through the match-up resulted in Landon Tretheway crank in a quick shot from the left circle.
Moments after being stymied on a breakaway, Timmins’ Kaeden McArthur capitalized on a turnover to increase the visitors lead.
Another from Svarich, deep into the period, saw him convert on the power play with a sharp wrister at 18:42.
In the final frame, Rock connected early once more thanks to Lucas Lowe sweeping in a rebound off an Ethan Albert left point shot.
Picking up a third extra-man effort, Max Jugnauth of Iroquois Falls sent a wrist shot from inside the blueline that hit off the stick of a Timmins defender and went past Riley.
Andrew Scott then banked one more off a Rock player to make it 8-4 with 3:32 to go.
Not done there, Peever potted his second as he went to the net and put a shot that leaked through Riley.
Getting one final marker in the last minute, Whittaker Heart snapped in his first NOJHL goal to cap off the night’s scoring.
The victory for the Rock sees them improve to 40-14-2-0 overall and with the loss, the Storm sink to 15-39-0-2.
