Photos: Dal Photography
FRENCH RIVER – A Pierson Sobush strike 58 seconds into the third period proved to be the game-winner as the Greater Sudbury Cubs went on to defeat the French River Rapids 5-3 Friday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League match-up at Noelville Arena.
French River needed just over a minute to open the scoring in the contest when Ryan Goral took a Chase Lefebvre feed that put him right on top of Greater Sudbury starter Joel Rainville, then made a quick move to his right and tucked in a tally for a third straight outing.
Countering via the power play at 14:03, Jaxon Bedard tied it for the Cubs as he snapped a shot from between the hash marks that got by Rapids’ goaltender Justin Dilauro.
Adding another a couple of shifts later, the visitors took their first lead as Nicholas Toffoli ripped one upstairs from the high slot.
Tying it before the opening intermission, Jackson Doyle converted by snagging a loose puck and took the play wide while outwaiting Rainville before sliding a low attempt past the netminder’s pad to make it 2-2 after one.
In the second stanza, Greater Sudbury went in front while shorthanded off a soft dump-in from centre ice that Dilauro could not control and allowed Liam Doyle to lift one over his glove from the top of the crease.
Levelling the proceedings late in the period, Dominik Godin blasted a one-timer from the right of Loney to give him 34 goals on the season and move him back into a tie for the most in the NOJHL this season with Hearst’s Robbie Rutledge.
Retaking the lead early in the third, the Cubs’ Billy Biedermann knocked down a clearing attempt and skated in where he made a perfect pass over to Sobush, who was left with most of the yawning cage to fire in his 17th of the campaign.
Bedard then secured the road triumph put putting one into an empty net in the final minute to round out the scoring.