PHOTOS: Caleigh Fera – Sudbury Light Event Photography
SUDBURY, Ont. – A four-goal first period, along with the shutout goaltending of Noah Metivier, sent the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League-leading Greater Sudbury Cubs on their way to a 4-0 triumph over the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners Thursday evening at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
Coming in boasting 19 victories when scoring first in a game, so far this season, Greater Sudbury would make it 20 a couple of minutes into the contest when Ryan Rubic neatly deflected in an attempt from the right point by rookie defenceman Hudson Martin, that eluded Kirkland Lake netminder Trent Boryszczuk.
Going ahead by two, a nice between the legs pass by Samuel Assinewai moved the Cubs up ice where Oliver Smith finished off a give-and-go with Cameron Shanks by tipping it over the glove of the Gold Miners’ goal keeper at 5:26.
With the marker, Smith reaches the 20-tally mark on the season, while also notching his 75th in league play.
Tacking on two more before the intermission, the home side took a firm hold of the affair, by being up by four after one.
Their third in the session was supplied by Mateo Signoretti’s initial NOJHL marker as he shovelled in a loose puck laying in front off a Ben Lacroix backhand attempt.
Shanks then connected at 19:05 after being left with an open net to shoot at against a downed Boryszczuk.
In the middle session, both clubs battled hard, but neither side converted offensively to keep the hosts up by four.
In a spirited final frame, it also went without any further goals, as Metivier posted his second shutout of the season, and the 12th over his time in the league.
Winners of five straight, the Cubs move to 23-6-0-0 overall and in defeat, the Gold Miners drop to 6-17-3-1.
