Photos: Jeremy Seguin
FRENCH RIVER – A solid effort from Billy Biedermann, that featured a couple of tallies, and the shutout goaltending of Noah Metivier helped send the Greater Sudbury Cubs on their way to a well deserved 6-0 victory over the French River Rapids Sunday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest held at Noelville Arena.
Greater Sudbury got things started offensively five and a half minutes into the proceedings when Kaden Laverdiere drove down the right wing and made a nice between the legs move with the puck, then sent a backhand into the slot, that was promptly buried by Cole Crowder.
An early power play in the middle stanza helped the Cubs extend their lead when Biedermann skated into the slot and wired a wrist shot past the glove of French River netminder Ben Gustafson.
Biedermann then bagged another at 12:21 as he chipped in his second of the day, after receiving a nifty behind the net spinning move feed courtesy of Noah Kohan.
Continuing to press the league-leading Cubs went up by five after 40 minutes with markers from Carson Crane, at even strength, and Laverdiere, during a man advantage.
Crane’s contribution came from the blueline as he sent a rising shot that went through a number of bodies and sailed past Gustafson.
The visitors then completed their four-goal frame when Laverdiere steered in a cross-ice feed from Oliver Smith, while up a skater.
Securing the win in the third, Cameron Walker lifted in a shorthanded marker at 6:15 with assistance of some hard work by Laverdiere.
The shutout for Metivier was his third in just 11 starts this season and ninth overall in 38 NOJHL appearances.
With the outcome the Cubs raised their record to a league-best 33-6-2-0.
In defeat the Rapids dipped to 6-31-1-1.