Photos: VoodoosHockey.com
POWASSAN, Ont. – The Greater Sudbury Cubs notched the night’s final three goals to pull out a 5-2 victory over the Powassan Voodoos Wednesday in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action at the Powassan Sportsplex.
Greater Sudbury began the night’s scoring at 10:39 of the first period, just as a penalty was expiring, off some crafty stick work.
Returning from the World Junior A Challenge, where he helped Canada East pick up a silver medal, Cubs’ forward Samuel Assinewai made a nice spin move up top and sent a feed over to Nicholas Toffoli on the right side where he sent a sharp low pass to a waiting Marshall McCharles, who steered in his 10th tally of the campaign.
The assist for Assinewai now gives him at least one point in each of the past nine NOJHL games he has participated in.
The visitors had a quality opportunity to extend their lead late in the period as Pierson Sobush collected a turnover and went in alone on a shorthanded breakaway, but was denied by a couple of quality saves by Powassan’s Kannon Flageolle.
Moving to the middle stanza, the Voodoos drew level on the man advantage as a point shot from Nicholas Liotino hit a body in front and saw the puck lay on top of the crease, which allowed Tucker Shields to swoop in and chip it over a sprawled Greater Sudbury goaltender Noah Metivier.
Retaking the lead just over eight minutes into the frame, Matthew Mazzota led a rush down the left wing into the Powassan zone and set-up Billy Biedermann, who snapped a shot over Flageolle’s blocker to join Shields with 15th goals apiece this season.
Countering fairly quickly, the home side tied it once more when Mitch Wilkie crossed the blueline and made a pass over to his left where Alex Little collected it and ripped a shot by Metivier from the slot.
Back and forth they went with Cubs taking their third lead of night as Oliver Smith whipped one in from the right side, while his team was up a skater.
Taking a two-goal lead in the third, Greater Sudbury advanced quickly in transition on a partial two-on-one that saw Toffoli tuck in a backhand to make it 4-2 with 12:56 to play.
Picking up a pair of late power plays, and getting their goalie out for an additional skater, the Voodoos pressed to pull closer.
However, a spinning long-range empty netter from Sobush in the final minute secure the road triumph as the forward now has points in eight straight contests.
With the result the league-leading Cubs improved to 27-5-2-0 while Voodoos dropped to 21-10-1-0.
“Highlight of the Night” – NOJHL YouTube Channel