Greater Sudbury Cubs forward Pierson Sobush’s natural hat trick in the first period led the way as the local Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League squad squashed the French River Rapids 6-0 on Dec. 8.
Not only did Sobush get the hat trick, he added a fourth marker later on in the game at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex last night.
The win improves the Cubs record to 24-4-2-0, giving them 50 points on the season. The team continues to lead the NOJHL with Timmins Rock close behind with 48 points.
Sobush got the Cubs going at 8:10 into the game when he tucked a backhand into the open corner as it dribbled in the crease after a shot from fellow Cub Oliver Smith popped out on the other side of the net.
“The assist for Smith did extend a point streak to six consecutive outings for the Greater Sudbury captain,” the team said in a news release.
Two minutes later, Sobush was at it again, powering his way through a trio of French River defenders to put a shot by Rapids’ starter Brady Dyer, marking his 20th of the season.
With the Cubs up 2-0, Sobush still wasn’t finished. Two minutes later, he found himself free in front and lifted a backhander over Dyer at 14:04.
“Greater Sudbury kept it going offensively and tacked on another prior to the intermission off a strong move by Miguel Renaud that saw him put an attempt towards the net that clipped the leg of a French River skater, then off the stick of teammate Aiden Landers and in.”
Like Smith, the tally for Landers now gives him points in six games in succession.
The Rapids pulled Dyer at this point, and backup netminder Matthew Perdue got the nod, marking his NOJHL debut.
It wasn’t the debut Perdue was hoping for though. In the second with the Cubs up by four,
Cameron Walker flipping in a knuckling puck off a stick from the side boards to beat Perdue and the Cubs were up 5-0.
“A late man advantage helped the Cubs tack on another when Billy Biedermann sent a slick cross-ice feed across to Sobush, who steered in his fourth of the night.”
Perdue held his own for the Rapids in the third, managing to turn aside several Cubs shots to make it a scoreless final frame.
“Greater Sudbury netminder Noah Beaulne registered his first NOJHL shutout in the triumph, while winning his fourth straight start and improving to 13-2-0-0 overall as the Cubs become the first NOJHL side to reach the 50-point mark on the season.”
The Cubs travel to Powassan tonight to take on the Voodoos.
