IROQUOIS FALLS, Ont. – A couple of early tallies proved to be enough as the Timmins Rock went on to defeat the Iroquois Falls Storm 4-1 Friday night in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League regular season contest at Jus Jordan Arena.
Notching the initial goal of the 2026-27 campaign, Timmins clicked on an early power play when Evan Katic came out from below the goal line and lifted in a second chance that eluded Iroquois Falls starter Keenan Connely.
The Rock then clicked again 37 seconds later thanks to Philippe Lafontaine picking off a Storm clearing attempt and firing a feed across to Simon Toupin in the slot where he wired in his initial NOJHL marker, by going upstairs.
Heading to the middle stanza, Timmins had a chance to extend their cushion three minutes in, but Connely foiled Matteo Paradiso on a breakaway with a sharp glove save.
Getting on the board late in the second on a seemingly set play, Iroquois Falls’ Jason Cyr heaved the puck down the ice from deep in his own zone that Simon Lemieux chased down and fed to Arthur Seamus McCown alone at the top of the crease, where he deposited his first league effort past the Rock’s Ayden Mullen at 17:48.
Action in the third period saw Timmins extend their lead, via the man advantage, as Maxx Hamelin wheeled out between the circles from the side wall and ripped his chance into the top left corner at 4:39.
Mullen then denied the Storm on a partial shorthanded break to keep the guests ahead by two.
Supplying some insurance deep into the contest, Paradiso retrieved his own dump in down low where he spun and sent a pass out front that Hamelin buried for his second of the evening.
The was the final goal of the night as the Rock skated away with the road victory.
Up next for each side sees Iroquois Falls head to Hearst, while Timmins travels to Espanola in a pair of games next Friday.
