PHOTOS: Rob Fera – Sudbury Light Event Photography
SUDBURY, Ont. – The Greater Sudbury Cubs picked up two goals from Marshall McCharles to help propel his side to a 4-1 victory over the French River Rapids in a physical and chippy Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest Thursday evening at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
Gaining the early edge, Greater Sudbury skated out to a 2-0 lead before the match-up was three and a half minutes in.
McCharles got the initial Cubs’ marker at 1:52 when he whipped in a rebound on Rapids’ starter Ben Gustafson, who could not snag a Cameron Walker attempt from the left wing.
Greater Sudbury added another a couple of shifts later, after Christopher Innes put a play into the crease that hit the stick of a French River defender, then saw Cole Crowder jam in his 22nd tally of the season.
The visitors had a great chance to cut into the deficit a bit later on as Josh Russell was sent in alone on a clear cut breakaway where his shot beat netminder Noah Metivier, but rang off the goal post and went harmlessly wide.
French River did connect however nearly nine minutes into the frame as Alexandre Dubuc dashed in by himself where he made no mistake in firing one past Metivier for his 12th of the campaign.
Heading to the second stanza, Greater Sudbury took full advantage on a double minor picked up by the Rapids by connecting on both ends of it.
Pierson Sobush started it by steering in a nice cross-ice pass from Oliver Smith for his team-leading 42nd goal of 2022-23.
Still up a skater, the Cubs came right back to go up 4-1 thanks to McCharles converting from the door step as he buried a Walker behind the net feed for his second of the night.
There would be no further scoring in a penalty-filled third period.
The triumph was the Cubs 10th straight over the Rapids this season, helping them improve to 43-10-2-0 overall.
With the loss, French River falls to 8-43-2-1.
