PHOTOS : Caleigh Fera – Sudbury Light Event Photography
SUDBURY, Ont. – Scoring three times by the 16-minute mark of the first period, and doling out multiple assists along the way, an impressive performance by Nolan Newton helped the Greater Sudbury Cubs maul the Blind River Beavers 9-2 Tuesday evening in Game 4 of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League’s West Division Final at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
This puts Cubs up 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, heading to Game 5, which goes Thursday in Blind River at 7 p.m.
Capitalizing on the night’s initial power play, Greater Sudbury took the lead 4:20 into the match-up.
On the tally, Newton started a rush into the Blind River zone, before eventually taking a return cross-ice feed from Hudson Chitaroni and slamming it into the open corner on Beavers’ starter Gavin Disano.
It was more Cubs, two and a half minutes later, as they broke out in transition and saw Chitaroni get one through Disano off a give-and-go with Newton.
The Greater Sudbury duo clicked once more at 11:23 as Chitaroni returned a pass to Newton going to the net and saw him snap in his second of the session and eighth of the playoffs.
That also saw the visitors make a goaltending change, with Noah Tegelaar entering in long relief.
Countering while skating four-on-four, the Beavers’ Daniel Vasic forced a turnover and sped away before firing his chance into the bottom right corner on Cubs’ netminder Noah Metivier.
Hitting his hat trick a couple of shifts later, Newton tipped in a sizzler from the high slot from Josh Kavanagh, during a man advantage.
The home side kept coming and went ahead by four quickly in the second stanza when Ethan Larmand guided in an Oliver Smith pass, that was sent in front from the left circle.
Adding to the onslaught, Marshall McCharles stuffed in a rebound that was knocked free by Newton.
Getting one back near the midway point of the contest, Josh Thompson picked up his initial NOJHL playoff marker as he chipped a puck out of his own end, then dashed down the right wing and ripped it past Metivier.
Regaining their five-goal cushion late in the session, defenceman Justin Seguin hammered a blast from up high that flew into the top corner.
Putting the game away, while up a skater early in the third, Hudson Martin teed up Larmand in the right circle, where he cranked in a blast for his second of the evening.
Chitaroni then won a draw and redirected a Cameron Shanks attempt for a shorthanded effort at 7:35 to finish off offensive barrage for the Cubs.
NOJHL West Final
Greater Sudbury Cubs vs. Blind River Beavers
Greater Sudbury leads best-of-seven series 3-1
Game 1: Cubs 2 Beavers 1
Game 2: Beavers 6 Cubs 2
Game 3: Cubs 5 Beavers 1
Game 4: Cubs 9 Beavers 2
Game 5: Thursday, April 11 @ Blind River 7 p.m. (Blind River Community Centre)
Game 6*: Sunday, April 14 @ Sudbury 7:35 p.m. (Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex)
Game 7*: Tuesday, April 16 @ Blind River 7 p.m. (Blind River Community Centre)
*-if necessary
“Highlight of the Night” – NOJHL YouTube Channel
