Cubs Win secures Centennial Cup playoff berth
A Lincoln Moore man advantage marker in the latter stages of the second period held up as the game-winner as the Greater Sudbury Cubs went on to edge the Kam River Fighting Walleye (SIJHL) 2-1 Wednesday afternoon in round robin play at the Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons, in Calgary.
The victory sees the Cubs secure a berth in the quarter-finals at the 10-team event Friday at either 6 p.m. ET or 9:30 p.m. ET, likely against the Melfort Mustangs (SJHL).
Wednesday’s matinee saw Greater Sudbury press the pace for most of the opening 20 minutes, out shooting Kam River 15-3 in the session, by the efforts of Walleye netminder Ashton Sadauskas kept the score at 0-0 into the first intermission.
After the Superior International Junior Hockey League’s Bill Salonen Cup champions generated some chances of their own in the opening half of the second stanza, the Cubs eventually solved Sadauskas during a power play 12 minutes into the middle frame.
On the tally, NOJHL MVP Lucas Signoretti worked his way across the ice in the Kam River zone before firing a feed to the net that was neatly redirected in by Nolan Newton parked in front.
Countering with an equalizer on a delayed penalty at 14:52, Easton Debray of the Fighting Walleye collected the leftovers off a Jett Mintenko attempt that was blocked and lifted in a close-range effort over the outstretched pad of Cubs’ goalkeeper Karsen Chartier.
Regaining the lead a couple of shifts later, Moore scored in a fourth straight Centennial Cup outing for Greater Sudbury as he quickly pumped in a sharp pass from teammate Samuel Assinewai, who had led a rush before darting around the net and providing the primary assist from in deep, while they were up a skater.
Moving to the third period, a pivotal turning point in the contest saw the NOJHL title holders successfully handle a trio on extra-man opportunities the Walleye had, including killing off a five-minute major to help earn the win.
Kam River did get Sadauskas out for an extra attacker in the final 90 seconds in an effort to pull even and force overtime, but Chartier and the Cubs held firm to collect the win.
Chartier was solid throughout, finishing with 28 saves to earn the triumph, featuring stopping all 16 shots he faced in the final frame.
As for Sadauskas, he too played well, handling 24 of the 26 attempts he faced in the narrow season-ending setback for the Walleye.
Picking up player of the game honours were Assinewai of the Cubs and Kam River defenceman Brodie McLeod.
The last time a team from the NOJHL advanced to the playoff round at the National Jr. A Championship was back in 2012 in Humboldt, Sask.
There, the Soo Thunderbirds fell 3-0 in the semifinals to the eventual winner, the Penticton Vees.
Prior to that, the Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats were edged 2-1 by the host Fort McMurray Oil Barons 25 years ago in the title game for the then Royal Bank Cup in 2000.
In 1991, the Sudbury Cubs hosted the event where they dropped an 8-4 decision to the Vernon Lakers in the finale.
GAME SUMMARY
Photo credit: Erica Perreaux/Hockey Canada Photos
