Rob Fera – Sudbury Light Event Photography
SUDBURY, Ont. – A first period natural hat trick by Sudbury Cubs forward Pierson Sobush, and a fourth tally later on, sent his side on their way to an eighth straight Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League victory Thursday, in sinking the French River Rapids 6-0 at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
Sobush got the Cubs going 8:10 into the proceedings by tucking in a backhand into the open corner after Oliver Smith missed a chance that came out on the other side of the net and allowed him to score.
The assist for Smith did extend a point streak to six consecutive outings for the Greater Sudbury captain.
Sobush then struck again two minutes later as he powered his way through a trio of French River defenders and put a shot by Rapids’ starter Brady Dyer, to reach the 20-goal plateau of the campaign.
Not done there, he notched his third of the period, in less than a six-minute span, as he found himself free in front and lifted a backhander over Dyer at 14:04.
Greater Sudbury kept it going offensively and tacked on another prior to the intermission off a strong move by Miguel Renaud that saw him put an attempt towards the net that clipped the leg of a French River skater, then off the stick of teammate Aiden Landers and in.
The tally for Landers now gives him points in six games in succession.
Opting to make a goaltending change, back-up Matthew Perdue entered the Rapids to make his NOJHL debut.
However, he was greeted with a fifth Sudbury effort, following a faceoff, with Cameron Walker flipping in a knuckling puck off a stick from the side boards.
A late man advantage helped the Cubs tack on another when Billy Biedermann, who dished out four helpers, sent a slick cross-ice feed across to Sobush, who steered in his fourth of the night.
In the third, the home side continued to press, but were held at bay by Perdue, including thwarting a close-range Sobush bid for a fifth goal, in a scoreless final frame.
Greater Sudbury netminder Noah Beaulne registered his first NOJHL shutout in the triumph, while winning his fourth straight start and improving to 13-2-0-0 overall as the Cubs become the first NOJHL side to reach the 50-point mark on the season.