TIMMINS, Ont. – Continuing their torrid pace, the Timmins Rock racked up their 16th consecutive Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League victory Sunday afternoon by knocking off the Soo Eagles 9-5 at McIntyre Arena.
Needing just 12 seconds to open the scoring, Timmins’ Kaeden McArthur dished off a pass to Diego Da Silva on the left side that he collected and ripped past Sault Ste. Marie’s Jace Knoerle to send down a stream of winter apparel for those in need this holiday season as part of their annual ‘Toque Toss.’
The Rock then tacked on another on the power play at 3:15 as McArthur roofed a rising sizzler in the left circle.
Countering, Logan Stawizynski put the Eagles on the board a couple of shifts later by cranking in a blast via a friendly bounce that caromed off the end boards right to him off a Lucas Caulfield chance.
After calling a timeout prior to going on the five-on-three, whatever was drawn up by the Soo coaches worked, as Micah Seery fired a hard pass across down low to Anden Marceau who jammed in the equalizer midway through the first period past Ayden Mullen in the home side’s net.
Collecting his third point of the session, McArthur connected once more with an attempt from the high slot while his side was up a skater.
Timmins came right back and made it 4-2 a mere 15 seconds later when Ryan Power worked his way free and pumped in a close-range shot.
That saw the Eagles decide on a netminding change as Daltin Hoornstra entered in relief for a second-straight outing.
Getting back to within a goal early in the middle frame, the Soo’s C.J. Zaharias pinched in from the point and roofed a quick shot up high on Mullen.
Coming back to tie it once more while up a skater, Seery between the circles put one off Mullen and into the top right corner at 8:55.
Another goaltending move from there saw Frédéric Cousineau came in for the Rock.
Cousineau was tested early in his appearance as he stymied Lucas Caulfield on a shorthanded breakaway.
Back and forth they went with Timmins getting a fifth on the day during a delayed penalty with Ashton Beriana side-stepping a defender, then whipping a shot past Hoornstra with just under five minutes left in the period.
Still battling, the Eagles drew level once again when Alex Povorozniouk went in from the blueline and snapped a shot that clipped off the glove of Cousineau and flopped into the net.
Remaining tied entering the third period, the hosts once again went back on top as Thomas Beard put a pass over to Ryan Armitage, who wired a wrister through Hoornstra at 3:31.
The assist gives Beard point in eight straight contests.
Eventually securing the triumph in the latter stages of the contest, the Rock banged in three more on an extended power play to put it out of reach for the Soo.
Their seventh saw Matteo Paradiso pump in a blast from the right circle prior to Da Silva unleashing a one-timer from a similar spot.
Matthew Kim then converted with another extra-man marker to cap off the high-scoring affair with his club’s fifth of the day, via the power play.
With another win, the Rock raise their record to 22-5-0-1 overall while in defeat the Eagles fell to 10-19-1-1.
Game Photos:
Thomas Perry – The Daily Press/Postmedia Network
