BLIND RIVER, Ont. – A couple of Mason Morden markers, which included the game-winner, helped lead the Blind River Beavers to their seventh consecutive victory, in downing the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League-leading Greater Sudbury Cubs 6-3 Saturday at the Blind River Community Centre.
Winners of six straight entering the contest, the Beavers kept their torrid pace going by skating out to a 2-0 lead before the contest was 10 minutes in.
Jack Robinson got the home side started at 4:07 as he finished off the work of teammate Brendan Cooke, who forced a turnover off a strong forecheck deep in the Cubs’ zone.
Blind River then made it 2-0 at 7:26 when Joseph Rotillo ripped a shot from the slot high over the glove of Greater Sudbury starter Noah Beaulne.
Cutting into the deficit, the visitors pulled to within one in the back half of the first period thanks to Cameron Walker, who took a Ryan Rubic feed in front and tucked it past Beavers’ goaltender Noah Tegelaar.
Heading to the middle session, the home side saw Morden strike twice to put them up 4-1, with half a game to play.
Morden’s initial effort came as he joined a rush and was set-up in the slot, where he zipped one over the blocker of Beaulne.
He then scored again at 9:43 as he swooped in and buried his second over a sprawled Greater Sudbury goaltender, who had thwarted Andrey Manov moments before.
The Cubs made it 4-2 at 15:23 after controlling a draw and seeing Samuel Assinewai slam one on from the left side for his 11th of the campaign.
They then came right back and converted once more when Oliver Smith secured a loose puck in the neutral zone and came in on the right wing where he fired a shot through Tegelaar.
Third period play saw the Beavers collect some insurance early when Jakob Kovacs went in on a shorthanded break and muscled a shot through Beaulne for his 24th tally of the season, and the 75th of his NOJHL career.
Capping off the outcome, Daniel Vasic put one into an empty net in the late going to secure the result for Blind River.
The triumph moves the Beavers to 21-8-0-0 overall, while the Cubs lost for the first time in six as they fell to 23-7-0-0.
