SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. – A pair of early Cole Cooksey tallies, as part of a three-goal performance, helped send the Toronto Patriots past the Greater Sudbury Cubs 8-3 Thursday in the opening game of the Centennial Cup, presents by Tim Hortons, at Credit Union Place.
Toronto wasted little time in opening the scoring as Cooksey got in behind the Greater Sudbury defence and was sent in alone on a clear-cut breakaway where he snapped a shot past netminder Iain Wintle, just 22 seconds into the contest.
More from Cooksey and the Patriots a couple of minutes later saw him hammer in a one-timer from the right side off a pass courtesy of Luciano Bruno.
Cutting into the deficit early in the second stanza, the Cubs’ Noah Kohan took an Eidan Macartney dish and powered his way to the Toronto net and roofed an attempt up high on goalkeeper Nico Armellin.
Wasting little time in restoring their two-goal cushion, moments into a man advantage, the Ontario Junior Hockey League title holders saw Alex Hebblethwaite take a cross-ice feed and promptly pump it past Wintle.
Tacking on another less than a minute later, the Patriots’ Anthony Giacalone made it 4-1 at 7:38.
Pulling back to within one midway through the proceedings, Briir Long took his time in the left circle and wired a short side shot that eluded Armellin.
Countering quickly, Luke Howard lifted one through traffic from the high slot to make it 5-2, which resulted in a goaltending change and saw Matthew Vahramian enter in relief for Greater Sudbury.
Extending their edge, right off the draw, to begin the third, Bruno was left with a tap in into an open net off a Cooksey rush that saw the rebound knocked in.
Affiliate forward Lincoln Moore answered that for the Cubs as he whipped in a shot that came his way off the end boards at the 56-second mark.
Putting the game away, Cooksey capped off a hat trick and as he found himself in alone once more and made a couple of nifty dekes before easing in a backhand.
Toronto captain Giacalone then wrapped up the result with a wrist shot by a diving Vahramian in closing out the scoring.
Collecting player of the game nods for their respective squads were Cooksey and Moore.
The Cubs return to action Friday as they take on the Maritime Hockey League (MHL) champion Truro Bearcats in a 6:30 ET start.
GAME SUMMARY
Photos Credit: Mike Bernard / Hockey Canada Images
