Photos: Allyson Demers
KIRKLAND LAKE, Ont. – Maintaining their dominance of the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners, the Timmins Rock waltzed to a 10-2 decision over them Sunday in a chippy one-sided Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League matinee at Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.
The victory marks 53 consecutive regular season triumphs for the Rock, over the Gold Miners, which dates all the way back to January 15, 2019.
Moments after being centimetres away from allowing a shorthanded marker against, Timmins countered and took the lead via the power play 2:42 in.
On the tally, Brant Romaniuk took a cross-ice pass on the right side from Kaeden McArthur and slid a low shot under Kirkland Lake goaltender Brian Rathwell.
Still 1-0 for the visitors into the middle stanza, another early offensive effort put them up by a pair at 1:39.
On what was a highlight reel goal, Diego Da Silva scored for a fourth straight game and extended a point streak to seven when he swiped the puck off a defender in close then slid his stick between his legs and flipped the puck past Rathwell.
More from the Rock a few minutes later, Lucas Lowe got enough of a backhand off a point attempt rebound put to the net by William Lobanov to get it across the goal line.
Adding to their lead midway through the proceedings, a Braedyn Cyr wrister from up top clipped off teammate Ryan Armitage on the way and changed directions before flying into the right corner.
Continuing the onslaught, Armitage tacked on one more by pumping in a play while alone in front.
The Gold Miners eventually solved Timmins goalkeeper Frédéric Cousineau while the sides skated four aside as Ryland Harvey steered in a feed put to the crease by Ben Lyons, who had muscled his way out from the side boards.
Coming right back, Romaniuk put a pass on the tape of McArthur who cut to his right and tucked in a backhand.
That combo then struck shorthanded with Romaniuk finishing it off for his second of the day.
With that, Kirkland Lake decided to make a goaltending change as back-up Antoine Ethier entered in relief.
In the final frame, Romaniuk potted his third of the afternoon from the left side for his club’s eighth of the contest.
The Gold Miners’ then saw Vaive Hickey collect his first NOJHL goal at 5:35 of the third when he used a defender as a screen and ripped one top shelf from the high slot.
Timmins then topped off the result with Thomas Beard connecting on a man advantage and Nicholas Schwertner at even strength to wrap things up.
