PHOTOS: Caleigh Fera – Sudbury Light Event Photography
SUDBURY, Ont. – Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League preseason competition came to a close Sunday afternoon at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex as the Greater Sudbury Cubs got 27-save shutout goaltending from Noah Metivier to blank the Elliot Lake Vikings 5-0.
Carrying the play in the opening frame, Greater Sudbury collected the day’s initial tally as Christopher Beauchamp spun in the left circle and whipped a shot past Elliot Lake starter Matthew Vahramian.
Buzzing around the Vikings’ net in the latter stages of the first period, Cameron Walker converted to put the hosts up by two after one.
Heading to the middle frame, Greater Sudbury went up by three when Oliver Smith snapped one from up high during a power play, beating Cameron Boville, who had entered the contest following the mid-period break.
A bounce off a skate benefited the Cubs on a fourth goal of the match-up that was credited to Cameron Shanks in the third.
They then finished off the home ice victory off a turnover behind the net that allowed Benjamin Lacroix to strike shorthanded, which wrapped up the scoring.
Shots on goal favoured the winning side by a 49-27 count.
Both clubs will now gear up to commence the 2023-24 NOJHL regular season Thursday night as Elliot Lake heads to Blind River to meet the Beavers at 7 p.m. while Greater Sudbury entertains the Hearst Lumberjacks in a 7:05 p.m. start.
