Frantic race for first place
How tight are the standings in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League? Well, the fifth place Timmins Rock actually has the second best winning percentage among the 11 teams of the NOJHL. Huh?
For starters, it is a six team race for first place in the hotly contested NOJHL.
Hearst Lumberjacks are in first place with 34 points from a record of 16-4-2, which is three more than the second seed Sudbury Cubs, who have a 15-6-1 mark. Up next are the Soo Thunderbirds with 30 points via record of 14-7-2 followed by the Espanola Paper Kings with 29 points from a 14-8-1 mark. Then it is fifth place Timmins with a 13-5-1 record, good for 27 points, which is one more than the sixth seed Powassan Voodos, who have a record of 12-6-2.
Notably, Timmins is on a seven game winning streak and has played the fewest number of games in the NOJHL at 19. Thus, the Rock has three games in hand on both Hearst and Sudbury and four in hand on each of the Soo T-Birds and Espanola. And Timmins has a winning percentage of .711, which is second only to Hearst, which is at .773.
20 GOAL CLUB: Two players in the NOJHL have hit the 20 goal mark to date. Cameron Menard of Espanola has 22 goals in 22 games while Anden Marceau of the Soo Eagles has 20 in 20. Closing in on 20 goals, currently with 19 apiece, are Brant Romaniuk of Timmins and Mathieu Comeau of Hearst.