The Greater Sudbury Cubs are going to the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League final.
It took the team five games to defeat the powerhouse Blind River Beavers, a team that has led the NOJHL for much of the season and at times seemed like a lock to make it to the final.
But alas, for the Beavers and their fans, the Cubs had other ideas.
On Thursday night at the Blind River Community Arena, the Cubs won 3-1, taking the best-of-seven series West Division final 4-1 and moving onto the league championship, which will be against either the Timmins Rock or the Powassan Voodoos.
The Cubs got off to a good start in the game. Cameron Walker slipped a Beavers’ defender at 6:37 and chipped a deflected puck up over goaltender Noah Tegelaar to make it 1-0 Greater Sudbury.
About six minutes Later, Ethan Larmand scored what would go on to be the game-winner. Taking a pass across the top of the crease from Mason Chitaroni, Larmand stuffed it home to give the Cubs a 2-0 lead.
Moving onto the second period with the Beavers on a power play, Blind River forward Michael Gallagher whipped a shot past Cubs’ netminder Noah Metivier from the high slot to cut Sudbury’s lead to 2-1.
The third period was relatively uneventful until the dying seconds when Blind River pulled their goalie for an extra attacker, hoping to force overtime. Unfortunately for the Beavers, Oliver Smith managed to ice the puck for Greater Sudbury into Blind River’s empty net to end the game 3-1 and send Cubs to the league final.
Meanwhile in the East Division final, the Powassan Voodoos are up 3-2 in the series against the Timmins Rock. Game 6 in that contest goes April 13 at 7 p.m.
