Photos: Sudbury Light Event Photography
SUDBURY, Ont. – A Josh Boucher goal with 2:09 remaining in regulation was the game-winner, which lifted the Greater Sudbury Cubs to a narrow 3-2 triumph over the French River Rapids in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play Thursday at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
After a scoreless opening frame, French River connected 3:17 into the second stanza as veteran forward Levi Siau wired one into the top right-hand corner on Cubs netminder Joel Rainville as he whistled a shot from the left circle for his 18th tally of the season and 175th NOJHL point.
Coming close to an equalizer later the period, Pierson Sobush ripped one that beat Rapids’ goalkeeper Justin Dilauro, but the attempt rang off the cross bar and bounced wide.
Continuing to press, Greater Sudbury was rewarded with a tying tally a couple of shifts later off a Carter Geoffroy blast from the right point that appeared to hit the leg of teammate Cameron Shanks in front and went in at 16:07.
The Cubs then took the lead a mere 20 seconds later with Jaxon Bedard banging in a rebound for his 12th of the season to put the hosts up by one heading into the intermission.
In the third, Chase Lefebvre brought the visitors level as he made a couple of nifty moves around a couple of Sudbury skaters and whipped in his 22nd during a man advantage opportunity.
Then with overtime on the horizon, Boucher bagged the winner by slamming in his 10th as he buried a cross-crease feed from the side of the crease.
Rainville picked up the win for the Cubs helping them improve to 19-12-3-0 on the year.
Dilauro meanwhile suffered the setback as the Rapids dipped to 19-9-1-0 overall.
