IROQUOIS FALLS, Ont. – Buoyed by three-goal nights from Lucas Antonioni and Nolan Newton, the Greater Sudbury Cubs used that offensive output to upend the Iroquois Falls Storm 7-2 in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play Saturday at Jus Jordan Arena.
The Storm did convert quickly as Martin Brassard put them on the board at 2:11 as he jammed in a loose puck laying at the top of the crease that beat Cubs’ netminder Mateo Beites.
Tying it up just under six minutes later, Antonioni collected the rebound of a Jacob Signoretti left point shot and tucked it under the pad of Iroquois Falls goalkeeper Alex Hall.
Antonioni then added another at 11:55 by jamming in the leftovers in close off a Caden Dubreuil chance.
Heading to the middle frame, Greater Sudbury extended their lead on a power play that saw Newton whip in his 20th goal of the season by finishing off a cross-ice give-and-go with Mason Walker.
More from the same combo, who both ran point streaks to five apiece, saw them click while up a skater again when Newton took a Walker dish down low and cut in front where he made a nifty move before roofing his second of the night at 11:35.
Pulling to within two, the Storm countered quickly in transition that led to a two-on-one where Brassard fed Keegan Fox, who went in and ripped a shot upstairs on Beites for his initial tally with the club.
In the third period, the Cubs blew it open with a trio of tallies to win going away.
Walker with another man advantage marker for the visitors began the outburst by cranking in a one-timer on a five-on-three.
Greater Sudbury clicked once more off an odd-man rush, which saw Walker spot Newton going to the net and deposit his third of the night.
Antonioni then finished off the scoring with 3:15 remaining as he redirected in a Daks Klinkhammer set-up for his first career NOJHL hat trick.
The victory raises the Cubs’ record to 18-6-1-0 and in defeat, the Storm fall to 8-15-0-2.
