Photos: Allyson Demers
KIRKLAND LAKE, Ont. – The Timmins Rock saw Brant Romaniuk register his first Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League hat trick Saturday as part of a 6-3 triumph over the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners at Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.
Timmins needed just over two minutes to open the night’s scoring when Romaniuk picked off a play in his own zone and darted down the ice on a breakaway before firing a shot off the left post and in on Kirkland Lake starter Trent Boryszczuk.
Answering with an equalizer, via a man advantage at 14:59, the Gold Miners’ Inde Abresch pushed a play ahead off a draw then fed Noah Woodard, who promptly swatted in his team-leading 22nd goal, in beating Rock netminder Patrick Boivin, who was left with little chance on the marker.
The Rock’s Romaniuk answered that with another, as he converted in the final minute of the frame, by banking one in from a sharp angle.
Moving to the middle frame, Timmins, the NOJHL leader in power play proficiency, made it 3-1 as Lucas Lowe was left with a tap-in off a couple of quick passes from Mason Svarich and Harry Clark.
The Rock then went ahead by three as Ryan Armitage finished off a Jaden Lyons feed at 16:41.
Jacob Lamoureux got that back for the home side on the next shift after taking a nice bank pass off the side boards from Jamie Collins then wheeling down the left wing where he ripped a shot into the right corner on Boivin.
Timmins however connected once more in the final moments of the stanza with Romaniuk finishing off a loose puck off a Mason Svarich dash in on Boryszczuk to complete his three-goal night.
Up a skater early in the third, Abresch took a Martin Brusoe pass in the left circle and proceeded to roof a shot to make it a 5-3 game.
A sixth on the night for the visitors was credited to Lyons at 8:48 off a scramble for the puck bouncing in close with bodies battling in front.
There would be no further scoring from there as the Rock improved to 38-14-2-0 on the season.
With the loss, the Gold Miners fell to 10-36-4-2.
