Photos: Sudbury Light Event Photography
SUDBURY, Ont. – Nolan Newton finished off a nice cross-ice feed through a maze of players from teammates Marshall McCharles for the eventual deciding tally, midway through the third period, as part of a 6-4 win over the Soo Eagles in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play Thursday at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
It was the visiting Eagles who scored first in the contest as Kenny Belanger Jr., connected on the tail-end of a power play by back handing in an effort that was started by a nice rush up ice by Jack Mortson.
Countering just over two minutes later, the Cubs drew level thanks to Ben Harris as he managed to jam a puck through the legs of Sault Ste. Marie starter Reid Ramsay that slowly trickled across the goal line at 13:33.
Up a skater before the opening intermission, Greater Sudbury went in front thanks to Cameron Walker, who managed to knock in a deflected Kyloe Ellis attempt from the point, that eluded a sprawling Ramsay.
Heading to the second stanza, the home side converted quickly on transition and saw Newton move in on a two-on-one where he made a nice set-up over to McCharles, who slid one into the open side at 1:23.
Down a player deep in the frame, the Eagles saw Chase Tallaire break in alone on an uncontested breakaway and made no mistake as he ripped one into the left hand corner in beating Greater Sudbury goalkeeper Nathaniel Boyes.
Still on the power play though, the Cubs came right back off the draw to regain their two-goal cushion as Ellis made a dash up the right side before cutting in on a Soo defender and firing a shot over Ramsay’s blocker.
In the third, Tallaire notched his second of the night, moments after ringing a shot off the post, as he followed the play to the net and put one upstairs on Boyes from the right of the crease at 2:24.
The Eagles then drew level, via the man advantage, with 11:13 remaining as Mortson wheeled in front from behind the net where he spun and beat Boyes from a sharp angle.
Regaining the lead, a couple of shifts later, Greater Sudbury’s McCharles made a splendid saucer pass through a number of Soo players from the left circle and found Newton who pinched and whipped in the eventual game-winner.
The Soo then got Ramsay out with two and a half minutes to go for an extra attacker, but the Cubs gained control off the draw and Cameron Shanks iced the victory with a mid-ice empty netter to round out the scoring.
With the result, Greater Sudbury improved to 5-2-1-0 while the Eagles slipped to 3-2-0-0.
“Highlight of the Night” – NOJHL YouTube Channel
