Game Photos: Bob Davies
SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. – Kyler Campbell’s second goal of the game, coming a minute and a half into overtime, was the difference as the Greater Sudbury Cubs pulled out a 4-3 victory over the Soo Thunderbirds Friday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League West Division battle at John Rhodes Community Centre.
Trading tallies in the opening period, both clubs converted on man advantage opportunities to hit the intermission knotted at 1-1.
Billy Biedermann started Greater Sudbury off by jamming in a second chance past Thunderbirds netminder Noah Metivier at 11:28.
Countering a couple of minutes later with a power play tally of their own, Sault Ste. Marie’s Samuel Lake stuffed in the rebound off a one-timer from Creo Solomon.
Neither side would convert offensively in a scoreless second stanza as the clubs hit the break still tied at one.
In the third, a Soo power play converted early with Michael Chaffay putting in his sixth of the season off a goal-mouth scramble.
Answering back less than a minute later though, Campbell took a nice cross-ice pass from Phineshich Whiteduck and whipped in his 13th tally of the campaign at 3:05.
Retaking the lead midway through the third, Solomon made a nice play to keep the puck in the zone and got it over to Kenny Belanger Jr., in the slot who ripped one off the post and in with 9:55 to go.
Snagging a loose puck off the skate of a Thunderbirds’ player, Greater Sudbury’s Mathieu Morin was the benefactor as he scooped up the disk between the hash marks and zipped one high blocker side into the Soo net to force extra time.
In the OT, it was free-wheeling with Sasha Gaumond making his NOJHL debut in net for the Cubs, and making a huge pad save early on to keep the contest going.
Countering the Cubs got the decider from Campbell as he took a feed from Christopher Innes and was in on Metivier where he made a quick deke right and deposited his league-leading 14th goal of the season to end it 90 seconds in.
Gaumond was impressive in his first league game, making 42 stops, including a combined 20 in the third and OT alone to earn the win.
Metivier meanwhile saw 38 shots against in helping the Soo pick up a point in defeat.
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