Timmins Rock blue-liner Jack Quevillon is all smiles as he accepts congratulations from teammates, from left, Nicholas Schwertner, Ben Climenhaga, Jake Torres and Tanner Hickey during the second period of Sunday afternoon’s NOJHL contest at the McIntyre Arena. Quevillon’s first NOJHL goal help lead the Rock to an 8-5 win over the Soo Eagles. Photo by THOMAS PERRY /The Daily Press
After being shut out twice in and allowing just one goal in two other exhibition contests, then being blanked 4-0 by the Cubs in their 2025-26 opener in Greater Sudbury on Sept. 11, the Rock exploded for 14 goals in a pair of contests at the McIntyre Arena on the weekend
Thomas Perry
The Daily Press/Postmedia Network
Perhaps it was just a little home cooking that was needed to solve the Timmins Rock’s offensive woes.
After being shut out twice in and allowing just one goal in two other exhibition contests, then being blanked 4-0 by the Cubs in their 2025-26 opener in Greater Sudbury on Sept. 11, the Rock exploded for 14 goals in a pair of contests at the McIntyre Arena on the weekend.
They followed up a 6-1 win over the Blind River Beavers Friday night with an 8-5 triumph over the Soo Eagles Sunday afternoon.
Soo forward Anden Marceau almost spoiled the party, however, as he exploded for four third-period goals to pull the Eagles back into the contest after they entered the frame trailing 6-1.
For two periods, Sunday afternoon’s contest had a similar feel to Friday night’s victory.
Newcomer Jake Torres’ first NOJHL goal staked the Rock to a 1-0 lead 4:15 into the opening period.
Maxfeld Shin, the Rock’s newest player, then picked up his first NOJHL tally seven-and-a-half minutes later.
But the Eagles were able to get on the scoreboard before the end of the frame, with Ethan Hoff netting his second goal of the season.
The second period was all Rock, however, as they scored early and often to build a five-goal advantage.
Brant Romaniuk got the puck rolling when he netted his third goal of the season.
Kaeden McArthur, who had four assist in Friday night’s victory, then added a power-play marker, his first goal of the season.
Blue-liner Jack Quevillon then added his first goal in a Rock uniform on a dump in that was redirected by a Soo defender up and over his goalie as he attempted to knock the puck down and gain control of it.
Although Soo goalie Jace Knoerle could hardly be faulted for that tally, coach Jeremy Rebek opted to lift him at that point, with Dalton Hoornstra coming on in relief.
Newcomer Dylan Lale then closed out the scoring in the frame when he notched his first goal in a Rock uniform, a marker that at the time looked like a little extra icing on the cake but turned out to be the game-winner.
“(Ryan) Power was just flying down the wing, picked up the puck below the goal line and passed it out front to me and I was able to tuck it home,” he said.
“I didn’t have any idea that was going to be the game-winning goal. I thought we were going to shut them down in the third period.”
Lale admitted the goal being the game-winner makes it even more special.
“It feels amazing, I was just glad to be able to help out the boys,” he said.
Lale was playing on a line with Victor Hourtouat and Power Sunday afternoon.
“We were moving the puck really well out there,” he said. “We have got good chemistry. I hope we can develop that more throughout the season.”
Marceau’s fourth goal of the season, 4:53 into the third period, cued the Eagles’ unlikely comeback attempt.
Veteran blue-liner Braedyn Cyr’s second goal of the season, a power-play marker, restored the Rock’s five-goal advantage just shy of the midway point in the frame.
That’s when things got interesting, however, as Marceau reeled off three-straight goals, with the first being a power-play marker, in the span of 4:20 to reduce the Eagles deficit to 7-5.
In an attempt to close the gap even further, the Eagles pulled Hoornstra in favour of an extra attacker but the move backfired when Rock forward Evan Katic deposited his first career NOJHL goal into the empty Soo cage.
“It is nice to get lucky once in a while,” said Katic, a graduate of the GNU18L’s Timmins Majors.
“I had been in a bit of a slump, but Shin made a hard play and the puck just popped out to me and I put it in.
“I had a bunch of chances (in the last two games), but nothing had really been going my way. I hit a crossbar earlier today, but after seeing this one go in, I am hoping to see more (pucks go in, as well).”
Katic was playing on a line with Thomas Beard and Shin Sunday afternoon.
“It is nice to play with two experienced guys, especially Thomas,” he said. “It helps you get into the flow of the game.”
Rock coach and general manager Brandon Perry was happy to see his team collect four of a possible four points on the weekend, but he clearly wasn’t happy with what he saw during the third period of Sunday’s contest.
“We played a lot of good hockey, but I wasn’t happy with how this one ended,” he said. “Obviously, it is what it is, but we have to move on and get ready for next weekend.
“It just comes down to consistency and playing the game one way all the time, not matter what the score is, no matter where you are playing, no matter when. We just got a little selfish and our D (blue-liners) were just cheating, letting guys get behind us.”
After getting all six goals from veteran players Friday night, the coach was happy to get offensive contributions from five newcomers during Sunday’s contest.
“Young kids, working hard, it is always nice to see them get rewarded,” Perry said. “I am super happy for them.”
Once again, the Rock got a pair of goals from the team’s blue-liners.
“I wasn’t happy with the way our D finished this game, but they were good all weekend,” Perry said. “Any time they chip in offensively, that’s a bonus for us.”
Blue-liner Ben Climenhaga didn’t pick up any points in either weekend game, but he impressed with his physicality — both in terms of dishing out hits and absorbing them, as well.
“Benny is a big, strong kid,” Perry said. “He has been doing a great job for us and he was solid both nights.”
The coach was happy to see Katic finally get rewarded with a goal, given how hard he has been working.
“We are trusting him in a lot of situations,” Perry said. “It is just the little details of the game he needs to pick up quicker, but he has been great for us. The amount he plays tells you how confident we are in his abilities.”
A number of other Rock players impressed their coach, at least during the first 40 minutes of action.
“I thought our big guys, Lowesy (Lucas Lowe), Brant (Romaniuk) and K-Mac, (McArthur) were really good,” Perry said.
“Brant had another three points tonight, that’s a seven-point weekend. That’s really good.
“I think everybody played good this weekend, except for some bad moments.
Rock goalie Frédéric Cousineau, who blocked 27 of the 32 shots he faced, picked up his second win of the season.
Knoerle, who turned aside 17 of the 22 shots the Rock directed his way in his 28:56 of work, was tagged with the loss. Hoornstra stopped 14 of the 16 shots he faced in his 30:20 of relief.
NOJHL NOTES — The Daily Press three stars of the game were Marceau, Shin and Torres … The Rock went 2-7 on the power play, while the Eagles were 1-7 with the man advantage … Official attendance at the McIntyre Arena was 604 … Sunday’s other action saw the Storm battle back to edge the Blind River Beavers 4-3 in Iroquois Falls and the Soo Thunderbirds top the Rapids 7-1 in French River … The Rock will head out on the road next weekend to take on the Thunderbirds in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., Friday night, the Eagles in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., Saturday night and the Beavers in Blind River on Sunday afternoon. The next home game will be on Sunday, Oct. 12, when they host the Iroquois Falls Storm at the McIntyre Arena, at 1 p.m.
