saultsports Photos: Caleigh Fera – Points North Media
SUDBURY, Ont. – Special teams saw the Hearst Lumberjacks tally three times on the power play and notch another while shorthanded as part of the 6-2 victory over the Greater Sudbury Cubs Thursday in the opening game of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League championship series at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
Putting the Cubs behind for the first time in the playoffs, Hearst converted while down a man for a league-best seventh time to open the scoring, seven and a half minutes into the proceedings.
On the play, defenceman Cole Miller chipped the puck out of his own zone and saw Mathieu Comeau chase it down, then race in on Greater Sudbury netminder Karsen Chartier where he slid in his chance for his fifth shorthanded tally of the playoffs, which also paces the NOJHL.
The goal gives Comeau points in nine consecutive contests.
On the power play to begin the middle frame, the Lumberjacks went up by a pair, while on a four-on-three, as Comeau put a pass to the top of the crease that was neatly steered in by DonHeaven Veilleux, 65 seconds into the stanza.
Still up a skater, the visitors went up 3-0 at 1:51 when William Pâquet fired a low shot from the left point that found its way past a screened Chartier.
Another man advantage effort put Hearst up by four when Chase Thompson lifted in a backhand to chase Chartier in favour of Cubs’ back-up Noah Beaulne, with still over a half a game remaining.
Regrouping, Greater Sudbury came back to bang in a pair of tallies before the second intermission to pull closer.
Lucas Signoretti put the home side on the board at 16:14 as he snagged a play put in front by Spencer Horgan, then spun and snapped it past Hearst netminder Alexandre Boivin.
Signoretti then brought the Cubs to 4-2 during a two-man advantage as he collected the rebound off a Horgan shot from up top and pumped it by the blocker of Boivin while situated between the circles.
That gives him 14 goals in the postseason, which leads the NOJHL.
Heading to the third period, the Lumberjacks got some insurance off a friendly bounce during a dump-in that skipped over the stick of a Greater Sudbury defender right to Tyler Patterson in the slot, who quickly hammered it in to give him points in 10 straight outings.
They then capped off the road win with an empty netter from Bronson Babyak from centre ice to round out the night’s scoring.
Game two of the series goes Friday back in Sudbury at 7 p.m.
The league champion will advance to represent the NOJHL at the Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons, May 8-18 at the Max Bell Centre in Calgary, Alta.
NOJHL Copeland Cup – McNamara Trophy Final
No. 1 Greater Sudbury Cubs vs. No. 2 Heart Lumberjacks
Lumberjacks lead best-of-seven series 1-0
Game 1: Lumberjacks 6 Cubs 2
Game 2: Friday, April 18 @ Sudbury 7 p.m. (Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex)
Game 3: Tuesday, April 22 @ Hearst 7 p.m. (Claude Larose Recreation Centre)
Game 4: Wednesday, April 23 @ Hearst 7 p.m. (Claude Larose Recreation Centre)
Game 5*: Friday, April 25 @ Sudbury 7:30 p.m. (Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex)
Game 6*: Monday, April 28 @ Hearst 7 p.m. (Claude Larose Recreation Centre)
Game 7*: Wednesday, April 30 @ Sudbury 7 p.m. (Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex)
*-if necessary
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