Timmins Rock blue-liner Sam Gallagher watches as his pass eludes the stick of Espanola Paper Kings forechecker Ashton Pitawanakwat during Saturday night’s NOJHL contest at the Espanola Regional Recreation Complex. The Paper Kings went on to defeat the Rock 5-2, handing Timmins its sixth setback in its past eight games. NOJHL NETWORK jpg, TD, apsmc
Thomas Perry
The Daily Press/Postmedia Network
ESPANOLA — The Timmins Rock’s only wins in their past eight games have come against a last-place team they have beaten 37-straight times and another granted a leave of absence for the remainder of the 2024-25 NOJHL campaign.
In fact, the Rock were basking in the glory of that 1-0 victory over the Elliot Lake Vikings credited to them by the NOJHL while they were dropping a 5-2 decision to the Paper Kings at the Espanola Regional Recreation Complex Saturday night.
Originally, the Rock were to have played the Paper Kings in Espanola Friday night and the Vikings at some third-party location Saturday night, but when the Vikings were granted their leave of absence for the remainder of the season that contest was delayed a day — meaning the Rock technically won a game and lost another on the same day.
Saturday’s 1-0 victory on paper and the Rock’s 11-0 decision against the Gold Miners in Kirkland Lake on Jan. 10 have done little to offer confidence to Rock fans, however, that their favourite NOJHL squad is about to march up the standings and go on a long playoff run.
It would take a collapse of biblical proportions for the Rock not to make the playoffs, given their 23-14-0-0 record, good for fifth place in the 12 team NOJHL standings.
But both the Powassan Voodoos (17-14-0-5) and Soo Thunderbirds (18-18-1-2) are lurking seven points behind the Rock and the ever-improving Iroquois Falls Storm (16-19-1-2) are just 11 points back, in eighth place.
Even if all three teams were to pass the Rock, they would still hold down the eighth and final playoff spot, but that would earn them a first-round berth against the powerhouse Greater Sudbury Cubs (34-2-1-1) — the Los Angeles Dodgers of the NOJHL.
Of course, it is still mathematically possible for either the French River Rapids (14-20-1-2) or the Paper Kings (14-21-2-1), both of whom trail the Rock by 15 points, to catch them and leave them on the outside looking in when the playoffs get underway.
Regardless, the Rock didn’t do themselves any favours by dropping a 5-2 decision to the Paper Kings Saturday night.
It was a game the Rock twice led — both times in the first period — only to see the Paper Kings battle back to tie up the contest and then take a lead they would not surrender, despite being outshot in all three periods.
Brant Romaniuk’s unassisted goal, his 11th tally of the campaign, 29 seconds into the opening period, put the Rock in front 1-0.
The Paper Kings fought back to tie things up 12 minutes later, as Carter Drigo netted his 10th marker of the season.
Once again, the Rock took the lead, 2-1, when Lucas Lowe scored a power-play marker, his 14th goal of the campaign, four-and-a-half minutes later.
But the Paper Kings were able to tie things up before the first intermission, when Jason Galante scored the first of his two goals on the night and seventh of the season, with 43 seconds remaining in the opening period.
And it didn’t take long for the Paper Kings to take the lead once the puck dropped to start second-period action, as Kaden Wicklander scored his 14th goal of the season 42 seconds into the frame.
The Paper Kings nursed that advantage into the second intermission and then added some insurance with a pair of third-period markers.
Ashton Pitawanakwat netted his ninth goal of the campaign 1:20 into the frame.
Galante then added his second goal of the night and eighth of the season to put the icing on the cake for the Paper Kings and make the final score 5-2.
What had been a relatively penalty-free contest in the first two periods erupted in the third period. The feistiness began at the 16:03 mark, with Rock forward Jack Kelly receiving a double minor penalty for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct, while teammates Lowe and Travis Poan were each issued 10-minute misconducts, as well. Samuel Gravel of the Paper Kings was handed a minor penalty for roughing, with Galante and Liam Rampersad each drawing 10-minute misconduct penalties.
Then, with 10 seconds remaining on the clock, Hyden Rynard, of the Rock, received a minor penalty for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct.
Turns out those were only the preliminaries, however, as the main event took place with eight seconds remaining in the contest.
Majors forward Ryan Armitage, was handed a five-minute match penalty for attempt to injure or deliberate injury, a five-minute major for fighting and a gross misconduct for fighting with a team official, while teammate Clark Scaddan received a minor penalty for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct.
Lucas Dubois, of the Paper Kings, was assessed a minor penalty for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct, while teammate Cain Savage received a five-minute major for fighting and a game misconduct.
As of Sunday morning, there was no indication on the NOJHL’s website about possible suspension from the festivities, but given the nature of the penalties, disciplinary action seems inevitable.
James Meredith turned aside 37 of the 39 shots the Rock directed his way to earn his seventh win of the season for the Paper Kings.
Rock goalie Dryden Riley, who stopped 24 of the 29 shots he faced, was tagged with the loss.
NOJHL NOTES — The three stars of the game were Meredith, Pitawanakwat and Galante … The Rock went 1-3 on the power play, while the Paper Kings were 0-6 with the man advantage … Official attendance at the Espanola Regional Recreation Complex was 171 … Saturday’s other action saw the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners double up the Eagles 4-2 in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., the Iroquois Falls Storm sweep past the Thunderbirds 6-3 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., and the Rapids edge the Powassan Voodoos 4-3 in overtime in French River … The Rock will return to action on Thursday when they host the Soo Thunderbirds at the McIntyre Arena, at 7 p.m.