PHOTOS : Caleigh Fera – Sudbury Light Event Photography
SUDBURY, Ont. – Picking up solid offensive performances from multiple players, the Greater Sudbury Cubs cruised past the Elliot Lake Vikings 11-2 Thursday in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
Greater Sudbury began the night’s scoring nearly three minutes into the match-up when Samuel Assinewai wheeled out from the side boards and fired a shot past Elliot Lake starter Sam Keene from the right circle.
With the marker, Assinewai now has points in each of his past 11 appearances.
After picking up the initial power play of the evening, the Cubs made it 2-0 off some crisp passing that led to Ethan Larman firing a sharp feed across the ice that was neatly steered in by Oliver Smith for his 38th goal of the season at 13:16.
Getting one back just prior to the first intermission, the Vikings’ Gavin McLenaghan generated a rush down the left wing and while powering hard to net put a shot on net that was stopped by Cubs’ goalkeeper
Matthew Vahramian, but Max Ciesielski chipped in the rebound for his eighth of the campaign.
Heading to the second stanza, Assinewai restored the two-tally edge for the hosts five minutes in as he was sent in alone on a clear-cut breakaway where he made a nice move to his left and tucked in his second of the night, and 20th of the season, putting past the outstretched pad of Keene.
Hudson Chitaroni then made it 4-1 a few shifts later as he lifted in a bouncing puck put into the crease by Justin Seguin.
Adding to their lead at 12:52, Smith teed up Noah Kohan who cranked a one-timer that he blasted in with authority from the left side.
Breaking it open, Hudson Chitaroni guided in a chance from short range, during a man advantage, off another Smith assist.
The visitors cut into the deficit at 15:38 off a strong forecheck by Ciesielski that helped set-up McLenaghan on a sharp angle that he whipped into the corner on Vahramian to pot his 20th for Elliot Lake.
Putting the game away early in the third, the Cubs supplied three more, courtesy of Larmand, Kohan and Smith.
A chance for the 10th in the match-up saw Nolan Newton awarded a penalty shot after having his stick chopped out of his hands on a partial break, but Keene outwaited him to make a save with 11 minutes to go.
The home side did eventually reach double digits when Mason Chitaroni drove down the slot and pumped one upstairs into the top right hand corner.
Newton then capped off the scoring with his club’s fifth in the session and 11th overall to complete the one-sided result.
With the outcome, Greater Sudbury’s record improves to 39-11-1-2 while in defeat the Vikings drop to 5-39-1-4.
