saultsports Photos: Caleigh Fera – Points North Media
SUDBURY, Ont. – A Ben Harris marker with under five minutes remaining in regulation proved to be the difference maker as the Greater Sudbury Cubs held off the Iroquois Falls Storm 3-2 in a tightly contested Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League affair Thursday at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
Bringing some tempo to begin the proceedings, the visiting Storm were rewarded with their efforts in notching the night’s initial tally.
On the goal, Landon Trethewey powered his way to the net, then slid the puck to the top of the crease where Jaden Lyons jumped in and pumped it past Cubs’ starter Noah Beaulne 12:50 into the first period.
Meanwhile, Iroquois Falls netminder Justin Sullivan stymied a number of Greater Sudbury chances in the session to help his side carry their lead into the intermission.
Moving to the middle frame, the home side applied pressure looking to equalize, and eventually capitalized just over 13 minutes in.
In tying it, the Cubs’ Daks Klinkhammer worked his way down the left wing and fired a shot that was stopped by Sullivan, but Noah Kohan was right there to swat in the rebound for his 15th goal of the season.
Supplying his league-high 75th point and NOJHL-best 39th tally, Lucas Signoretti then gave his club the lead at the 17-minute mark of the second.
There, he was initially denied by Sullivan off a Mason Walker set-up, but persevered by elevating a back hand over the sprawled Storm goalkeeper.
Heading to the third, Alexandre St. Pierre of Iroquois Falls knotted the score at 2-2 at 4:21.
Getting a chance, he raced down the ice after Greater Sudbury could not contain a face-off win in the Storm zone and saw him muscle his way past a defender and tuck his opportunity through the legs of Beaulne.
A second assist on the night for Walker saw him make a nice move down low then fire a feed through the crease that was slammed in by Harris, in what was the game-winner.
With Sullivan on the bench for an extra attacker in the late going, the guests looked to draw even and send it to overtime, however the hosts held firm to secure the narrow result.
Both teams are on the road Friday as the Cubs travel to Timmins while the Storm pay a visit to Espanola.
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