GALLERY: Timmins tops Kirkland Lake

TIMMINS, Ont. – A night of firsts, from their starting goaltender as well as by one of their defencemen, helped the Timmins Rock skate to a 5-2 decision over the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play Wednesday night at McIntyre Arena.

Opening period play saw Timmins notch the lone marker in the session just past the midway point of the frame on Cameron Kosurko’s 12th of the campaign with help from Riley Robitaille and Zach Smith.

Smith then added to the Rock lead early in the second as the hosts went up by a pair as he collected his 10th of the year.

Later in the stanza, Timmins tacked on two more, getting goals mere seconds apart off the sticks of defenceman Eric Moreau, who notched his initial NOJHL marker, followed moments later by a Phil Caron effort as they went up by four.

Kirkland Lake did get one back before the period was over thanks to Kyler Campbell’s 12th.

In the third, the two teams traded man advantage goals with Gabinien Kioki getting the power play effort for the Rock early before the Gold Miners’ Connor Van Weelie did likewise to wrap up the night’s scoring in the latter stages of the contest.

Josh Dickson and Josh Anderson dished out two assists apiece in the home ice triumph for Timmins

Making his Rock debut, affiliate netminder Justin Vertesi made 21 saves to pick up the win while

Kyle McNair got the starting nod for Kirkland Lake and suffered the defeat while facing 28 attempts on the night.

Game Photos courtesy of  Thomas PerryThe Daily Press (Timmins)