Photos: Sudbury Light Event Photography
SUDBURY, Ont. – A hard-fought Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League battle Thursday evening saw the Elliot Lake Red Wings pull out a narrow 3-2 triumph over the Greater Sudbury Cubs in a get together held at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
Breaking the scoreless tie just past the six-minute mark of the first period, Elliot Lake’s Matthew Shulist powered his way out in front from the end boards and tucked one through Cubs’ goalkeeper Jake Marois.
It was more Red Wings a couple of shifts later thanks to Brock McNaughton, who whipped a shot over the blocker of Marois to give him seven goals on the season as the guests took a 2-0 lead into the intermission.
In the second stanza, Greater Sudbury got on the board, via the power play, when Seth Coulter skated around the Elliot Lake net and set-up Cole Crowder, who let a low shot go from the left side that got under goaltender Ryder Gregga at 8:48 as the Cubs’ Ben Harris banged away at it in front.
Moving to the third, the Red Wings Jace Symington-Lesanko dove on a play and sent the puck down the length of the ice into an empty net to make it 3-1 with 1:39 to go.
Continuing to battle, the Cubs did get one back with an extra attacker as a Coulter pass from the right point found Pierson Sobush between the hash marks where he converted with still 50 seconds left on the clock.
Pressing yet again to try and tie it and force overtime, Elliot Lake managed to hang on in the end and preserve the road decision.
Gregga got the win for the Red Wings to collect his first NOJHL victory while the Cubs’ Marois suffered the setback.
NOJHL YouTube Channel – “Highlight of the Night”
