Photos: Gary Rosevear
SUDBURY, Ont. – Exhibition action on three fronts Friday in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play saw the Espanola Paper Kings; Iroquois Falls Storm and the Kam River Fighting Walleye (SIJHL) all skate to victories.
KAM RIVER FIGHTING WALLEYE (SIJHL) 3 HEARST LUMBERJACKS 2
The defending Superior International Junior Hockey League Bill Salonen Cup Champion Walleye saw Kaden Goodwin strike twice, featuring the eventual difference maker in edging the Lumberjacks at Claude Larose Recreation Centre.
Goodwin opened the scoring with the lone tally of the first frame, before Ty McKay tied it for Hearst early in the second.
Nico Simeoni of Kam River and Theo Bourdon-Lemoyne then traded extra man efforts to knot the contest at 2-2.
Coming back to regain the lead with six and a half minutes left in the second, Goodwin collected the eventual game-winner for the SIJHL side.
Neither team would convert the rest of the way as the Walleye held firm to pick up the win.
Cole Stevens and Brady Low shared goalkeeping duties for Kam River seeing 26 attempts with Alexandre Boivin going the distance for the Lumberjacks in facing 35 shots on goal.
The clubs will wrap-up their series with a 1 p.m. Saturday matinee back in Hearst.
ESPANOLA PAPER KINGS 7 FRENCH RIVER RAPIDS 4
The Paper Kings rode the strength of two tallies apiece off the sticks of Callum Millar and Joseph Coates to skate away with the road victory against the Rapids.
Cameron Menard; Jason Galante and Cain Savage also found the back of the net for Espanola in the triumph.
Bryson Villeneuve at even strength, along with Ralph Coulis; Joey Stiles and Jonah Gareau, on the power play, scored for French River.
Logan Vale made 21 stops to collect the win for the guests while Kieran Caughren and Matis Bureau-Morel combined face 38 shots against in the losing cause.
The two teams will cap off a weekend home-and-home Saturday in a 7 p.m. start at the Espanola Regional Recreation Complex.
IROQUOIS FALLS STORM 3 TIMMINS ROCK 1
First period markers from Benjamin Coupal and Lucas Willoughby, with the eventual game-winner, helped propel the Storm over the Rock.
After a scoreless middle stanza, Matthew Kim put Timmins on the board, 6:44 into the third period.
The Rock had a late man advantage to try and tie it, but Lucas Peever iced it to Iroquois Falls in the final minute with a shorthanded empty netter to secure the result for the home side.
Justin Sullivan made six saves in a brief goaltending start for the Storm before giving way to Alex Hall, who was stellar, turning aside all but one of the 44 shots fired his way in long relief.
Frederic Cousineau started for the Rock, allowing two on 15 attempts in one period of work and Ayden Mullen handled all 23 he faced in nearly 40 minutes of action.
The clubs will faceoff once again Saturday in a 7:30 p.m. puck drop at Jus Jordan Arena.
All league games are streamed live via FLOHockey.tv, the official broadcast partner of the NOJHL.
NOJHL preseason results and upcoming games:
| Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League | ||||
| 2025 Preseason Schedule/Results (As of September 6) | ||||
| DATE | VISITOR | HOME | TIME | VENUE/RESULT |
| Friday, Aug. 22 | Kirkland Lake Gold Miners | Lindsay Muskies | Final | 3-1 Gold Miners |
| Saturday, Aug. 23 | Kirkland Lake Gold Miners | King Rebellion (OJHL) | Final | 5-3 Rebellion |
| Sunday, Aug. 24 | Kirkland Lake Gold Miners | Pickering Panthers | Final | 3-0 Panthers |
| Tuesday, Aug. 26 | Timmins Rock | Powassan Voodoos | Final | 5-2 Rock |
| Tuesday, Aug. 26 | Collingwood Blues (OJHL) | Timmins Rock | Final | 7-1 Blues |
| Tuesday, Aug. 26 | Newmarket Hurricanes (OJHL) | Powassan Voodoos | Final | 7-1 Hurricanes |
| Wednesday, Aug. 27 | Collingwood Blues (OJHL) | Powassan Voodoos | Final | 5-2 Blues |
| Wednesday, Aug. 27 | Timmins Rock | Newmarket Hurricanes (OJHL) | Final | 2-0 Hurricanes |
| Wednesday, Aug. 27 | No. 4 Powassan Voodoos | No. 1 Collingwood Blues | Final | 5-2 Blues |
| Wednesday, Aug. 27 | No. 3 Timmins Rock | No. 2 Newmarket Hurricanes | Final | 4-0 Hurricanes |
| Thursday, Aug. 28 | Powassan Voodoos | Timmins Rock | Final | 3rd place game: 4-1 Rock |
| Sunday, Aug. 31 | Hearst Lumberjacks | Iroquois Falls Storm | Final | 3-0 Lumberjacks |
| Wednesday, Sept. 3 | Iroquois Falls Storm | Hearst Lumberjacks | Final | 7-2 Lumberjacks |
| Thursday, Sept. 4 | Blind River Beavers | Greater Sudbury Cubs | Final | 3-2 Cubs |
| Friday, Sept. 5 | Espanola Paper Kings | French River Rapids | Final | 7-4 Paper Kings |
| Friday, Sept. 5 | Kam River Fighting Walleye (SIJHL) | Hearst Lumberjacks | Final | 3-2 Walleye |
| Friday, Sept. 5 | Timmins Rock | Iroquois Falls Storm | Final | 3-1 Storm |
| Saturday, Sept. 6 | Kam River Fighting Walleye (SIJHL) | Hearst Lumberjacks | 1 p.m. | Claude Larose Recreation Centre |
| Saturday, Sept. 6 | Kirkland Lake Gold Miners | Powassan Voodoos | 7 p.m. | Don Shepardson Memorial Arena – New Liskeard |
| Saturday, Sept. 6 | Soo Thunderbirds | Soo Eagles | 7 p.m. | Taffy Abel Arena |
| Saturday, Sept. 6 | French River Rapids | Espanola Paper Kings | 7 p.m. | Espanola Regional Recreation Complex |
| Saturday, Sept. 6 | Timmins Rock | Iroquois Falls Storm | 7:30 p.m. | Jus Jordan Arena |
| Sunday, Sept. 7 | Soo Eagles | Soo Thunderbirds | 4:30 p.m. | John Rhodes Community Centre |
| Monday, Sept. 8 | Blind River Beavers | French River Rapids | 7 p.m. | Noelville Arena |
