Cubs suffer season-ending defeat to Collège Français at Centennial Cup

A Gabriel Provencher goal midway through the third period proved to be the game-winner as Collège Français de Longueuil (LHJAAAQ) went on defeat the Greater Sudbury Cubs (NOJHL) 3-1 Tuesday in Centennial Cup play, presented by Tim Hortons, at Credit Union Place.

The loss eliminates Greater Sudbury from the 10-team event, as they finish with a 1-3 overall record.

In Tuesday’s tilt, a tight checking 20 minutes went without a tally as the clubs hit the first intermission still knotted at 0-0.

Collège Français carried the play early in the second stanza, but it was the Cubs who opened the scoring at 7:16 off a draw won by Briir Long, that allowed Lincoln Moore to get a shot off from the left circle that leaked through netminder Mathis Lacroix-Goulet and saw Mason Walker slam it home before it trickled in.

Pulling even on a man advantage a couple of shifts later, Mathieu Derome snagged a loose puck in front and whipped it past Greater Sudbury’s Iain Wintle.

The Quebec AAA Junior Hockey League champions took the lead with nine and half minutes to go as Jayden Rousseau worked a play down low and made a nice no-look back pass in front that Provencher blasted in.

Adding some insurance right after handling a Cubs power play, Isaiah Parent put a nice pass on the stick of Adam Lemay in the slot that he wired into the top left corner with 3:27 to go to round out the scoring.

Collecting player of the game laurels for their respective clubs were Cubs’ captain Daks Klinkhammer and Lacroix-Goulet, who was stellar, making 35 saves in the victory for his side.

GAME SUMMARY

Photo credit: Mike Bernard / Hockey Canada Images