Over the September 20th–21st weekend, the Soo U16 Greyhounds officially launched their 2025–26 GNU18HL campaign with a two-game set against the Timmins Majors at the John Rhodes Community Centre in Sault Ste. Marie.
Game one on Saturday, September 20 in a late afternoon season opener, the visiting Majors jumped out quickly and never looked back. At 8:19 of the first, Timmins capitalized on the powerplay when Gerald Southwind’s shot was tipped in by Wade House-Sam, with Jack Cyr adding an assist for the 1–0 lead. Just minutes later, Jordan Martineau doubled the advantage, firing from the right circle under Greyhound goaltender Phoenix Bell’s blocker at 11:03, with Southwind collecting his second point of the night.
Timmins added to their cushion late in the opening frame as Hayden Roy crashed the crease and lifted a rebound over Bell’s glove to make it 3–0. Southwind and Martineau assisted on Roy’s first of the season, another powerplay marker. The Majors capped the night in the third when Martineau struck again, wiring a shot from the right circle past Bell’s pad for his second of the contest and Timmins’ third powerplay tally. Southwind and Cyr each earned their second helpers of the evening.
The 4–0 win gave Timmins their first victory of the new season, while the Greyhounds were left searching for their opening goal and first points in the standings.
In game two on Sunday, September 21, the two clubs returned to the John Rhodes the following morning, with the Soo looking to regroup and secure their first win of 2025–26.
he Timmins Majors skated to a strong 6–2 victory over the Sault Ste. Marie U16 Jr. Greyhounds on Saturday, powered by a hat trick performance from forward Jordan Martineau.
The Majors struck first just over two minutes into the game when Wade House-Sam netted his second of the season, assisted by Colton Caron and Nathan Boucher. The Greyhounds answered late in the frame at 18:11, with Alexander Priem notching his first of the season, set up by Preston Gioia and Bryson Palahnuk. However, Timmins regained the lead before intermission, as Martineau scored his third of the year at 19:35 from Jack Cyr and Gerald Southwind.
In the second period, Timmins built on their momentum. Evan Carpentier extended the lead at 2:20 with help from Jesse Litt and Boucher. The Greyhounds responded midway through the frame when Ethan Farquharson buried a goal at 12:03, assisted by Benjamin McKinlay and David Francella. But Martineau wasn’t done—he struck again at 17:20, this time with support from Hayden Roy, to restore the Majors’ two-goal cushion heading into the third.
Timmins sealed the win in the final frame. Roy scored unassisted at 6:45, and Martineau completed his hat trick at 17:36 into an empty net with Brewer on the bench for the extra attacker, assisted by Cruz Batisse, to cap off a dominant 6–2 performance.
Between the pipes, Rydder O’Quinn stood tall for North Bay, while Ethan Brewer handled the goaltending duties for the Soo.
Timmins coach Shawn MacArthur told Saultsports that “it was a good first weekend on the road. Really liked a lot of things about our game but had some sloppy moments that are fixable. We came in down three important forwards with our club brought two AP’s and guys didn’t dwell on who wasn’t in lineup but focused on who was. Our goaltending was what we expected it would be. The leadership from Vets like Martineau Southwind Cyr and Chamberland has been phenomenal. With only four teams qualifying for the playoffs it’s important to get every point you can early here so to grab four this weekend is huge and could be a difference maker in seeding come playoffs.”
With the win, Timmins showed offensive depth and finish, led by Martineau’s standout night, while the Greyhounds will look to regroup in their next outing.
The U16 Greyhounds will now head to southern Ontario when they take part in the 2025 Toronto Titans Tournament over the September 25th to 28th weekend.
