Photos: Caleigh Fera – Points North Media
SUDBURY, Ont. – A couple of late second period goals broke open a tie game as the Greater Sudbury Cubs eventually edged the Timmins Rock 4-3 Friday night in Game 2 of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League championship series in front of 1,011 spectators at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
With the outcome, Greater Sudbury now leads the best-of-seven set 2-0, heading into Game 3 Tuesday at McIntyre Arena in Timmins at 7:05 p.m. and on FLOHockey.tv.
Opening the scoring while shorthanded, the Rock’s Ryan Armitage outmuscled a Cubs’ player off the puck after Jack Quevillon lifted the puck in the Greater Sudbury zone and worked his way to the slot where he whipped a shot past netminder Iain Wintle, 9:09 into the proceedings.
Pulling even just over a minute later while they were four skaters aside, the home side countered in transition that led to Mason Walker spinning in Timmins territory and feeding Briir Long between the circles, where he wired one by Rock goalkeeper Frédéric Cousineau.
With the assist, Walker now has points in all 10 playoff games for the Cubs in 2026.
The Greater Sudbury combo went back to work later the in frame as Walker scooped up a loose puck down low off a Long attempt and banked in a wrap around to put them up 2-1 heading into the first intermission.
Action in the middle session saw the Rock pull even moments into a man advantage as Ian Lachance went hard to the net on a rush up-ice and swatted in a pass put in front by Thomas Beard at 13:33.
Retaking the lead three minutes later, Cubs defenceman Spencer Horgan moved to the middle from the corner in the Timmins zone and sent a backhand towards the top of the crease that Kaedyn Long put in between the outstretched pad of Cousineau and the post.
Going to work on the power play before the period expired, Daks Klinkhammer made it 4-2 at 18:30 when he roofed a short side shot off a nice back pass from behind the net by Aboflan.
Trimming the deficit to one with five minutes remaining in regulation, the Rock’s Ashton Beriana cranked in a one-timer from between the circles after being teed up by Matteo Paradiso.
However, that’s as close as the visitors would get as a solid forecheck by Greater Sudbury in the late going sealed off any chance of Timmins tying it to force overtime.
The NOJHL champion will move on to represent the league at the Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons, May 7-17, in Summerside, P.E.I.
NOJHL Final
No. 1 Greater Sudbury Cubs vs. No. 4 Timmins Rock
Game 1: Cubs 9, Rock 3
Game 2: Cubs 4, Rock 3
Game 3: Tuesday, April 21 @ Timmins 7:05 p.m. (McIntyre Arena)
Game 4: Wednesday, April 22 @ Timmins 7:05 p.m. (McIntyre Arena)
Game 5*: Friday, April 24 @ Sudbury 7:05 p.m. (Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex)
Game 6*: Monday, April 27 @ Timmins 7:05 p.m. (McIntyre Arena)
Game 7*: Wednesday, April 29 @ Sudbury 7:05 p.m. (Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex)
*-if necessary
Greater Sudbury leads best-of-seven series 2-0
