GALLERY: Cubs win big over Rapids

Photos: Sudbury Light Event Photography

SUDBURY, Ont. – The Greater Sudbury Cubs picked up two tallies apiece from Kyloe Ellis, Pierson Sobush and Cole Crowder as part of a convincing 8-1 decision over the French River Rapids in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play Thursday at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.

Greater Sudbury set the tone from the on-set, holding a big lead in shots on goal in the opening frame, but it wasn’t until a man advantage midway through the period that they notched their initial marker.

There, Cameron Shanks snagged a loose puck and proceeded to rip one short side from the left circle that flew past French River goaltender Kaleb Papineau.

Striking again two and a half minutes later, Sobush converted for the Cubs as he took a pass from behind the goal line from Billy Biedermann and quickly whipped it in from between the hash marks.

Continuing to press, the home team made it 3-0 just 36 seconds later thanks Ellis picking up his first NOJHL goal as he was nicely set-up by Biedermann and moved to the net and snapped a shot under the glove of Papineau.

Not done there, Greater Sudbury added a fourth prior to the intermission as Crowder connected as he picked up his own rebound, after powering into Rapids’ territory, before moving in front and finishing one off from the right of the net.

Still going strong, the Cubs tacked on three more in the middle stanza to break it open.

Cameron Walker got his club’s fourth of the night at 3:40 when he blasted in a one-timer off a Nolan Newton feed.

Extending their cushion Crowder collected another with a short-range backhand while parked at the top of the crease.

Sobush then joined him with his second of the evening, coming at 19:26, as he chipped one in from in close.

Ellis added another in the third as he was allowed to move in during a man advantage and snapped in his second from the high slot.

Dashing Noah Beaulne’s shutout bid midway through the period, Rapids’ Cameron Macdonald registered his initial NOJHL marker as he outmuscled a Greater Sudbury player on the way to the net and completed the work of linemates Noah Racine and Jackson Drigo, who worked the puck from behind the net.

There would be no further scoring the rest of the way as the Cubs cruised to the win with Beaulne getting the victory while Papineu suffered the defeat.