It was a nice way to debut with the Greater Sudbury Cubs for newly acquired goaltender Noah Metivier, who helped the local Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League squad to a 2-0 win over the visiting Cochrane Crunch on Nov. 24.
Metivier is last season’s NOJHL MVP and First Team All-Star in net when he suited up for defending league champions, the Soo Thunderbirds.
The first period went nearly scoreless until the final minutes.
“A late extended power play helped the Cubs open the scoring when Samuel Assinewai connected at 17:25 of the first period as he drove down the left side from the point and put an attempt in front that clipped off a Cochrane defender and slid past Crunch netminder Jake Dubinsky,” the team said in a news release about the game.
The Cubs scored their second and final goal of the game halfway through the second frame. A sprawling Crunch defender allowed the Cubs’ Miguel Renaud to put a shot on net that was stopped, but Aiden Landers was there to scoop up the rebound and make a move to his right and tuck one into the open corner.
Solid play by each netminder kept the puck out of the net for the rest of the game.
Metivier, who shared the NOJHL-lead in shutouts last season with six, picked up where he left off in blanking the Crunch in this one.
A late power play and having their goalkeeper out for an extra attacker, the guests tried one final time to get on the board, but the Cubs held firm to secure their NOJHL-best 20th win of the season.
The win improves the Cubs record to 20-4-2-0. The team continues to lead the NOJHL with 42 points, followed by the Timmins Rock with 38. The team is back in action on the road tomorrow against the Blind River Beavers.
