GALLERY: Cubs down Express

ESPANOLA, Ont. – Breaking open a tie game with three unanswered second period goals sent the Greater Sudbury Cubs on their way to a 7-1 victory over the Espanola Express Friday evening in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League match-up at the Regional Recreation Complex.

Each side would connect once in the opening 20 minutes with Pierson Sobush converting for the Cubs at even strength as he got enough of a feed to front to send it bouncing into the net while Joshua Rumolo clicked on the power play by ripping one home from the high slot for the Express.

Breaking the deadlock in the middle session, Greater Sudbury struck times in under a nine-minute span to help determine the outcome.

Sobush, with his second of the night, 14th of the season made it 2-1 at 2:42 as he was allowed to walk in and lift a short side back hand over the shoulder of Espanola netminder Dylan Kosik.

The Cubs’ Cole Crowder added to the visitor’s lead as he powered his way down the right wing on a partial break and forced the play to the top of the crease where he neatly picked the left corner.

Billy Biedermann added to the visitors lead by taking back pass and making no mistake from the slot.

Greater Sudbury then tacked on three more in the third to complete the one-side result.

Cameron Walker converted at 1:19 by streaking down the left wing before taking the play across the crease where he outwaited Kosik and lifted one over him for his seventh of the campaign.

Later in the session, Cameron Shanks banged in a bouncing puck that came out off the end boards before Josh Boucher finished it off with a lucky break as his feed in front clipped off the stick of an Espanola defenceman and found its way in.  

Collecting the win for the Cubs was Jake Marois, who won his third straight start, and helped his club raise their overall record to 20-12-3-0 on the season.

With the loss, the Express fell to 8-22-2-0 overall.