COCHRANE, Ont. – A three-goal outburst, in a span of two minutes and 23 seconds, past the midway point of the third period propelled the Greater Sudbury Cubs to a 5-2 win over the Cochrane Crunch Saturday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League inter-divisional match-up at Tim Horton Event Centre.
The Crunch got the night’s initial tally, just past the 12-minute mark of the proceedings, as Liam Boswell converted on a man advantage opportunity by getting a piece of an Alexis Clement attempt from the right point.
Picking up a power play chance themselves later in the period helped Greater Sudbury draw level before the first intermission as Cameron Shanks stuffed one in from the left of Cochrane’s Michael Nickolau, off a goal-mouth scramble.
With the Cubs carrying a big edge in the shots on goal department, they took the lead 6:43 into the middle session when Kyler Campbell collected his team-leading 24th tally on the year.
After being stymied by the Crunch on a two-man advantage, Campbell capitalized on that play right after that as he fired a shot off the blocker of Nickolau and saw the puck bounce high and air and come down in behind before gliding across the goal line.
Battling back though, the hosts tied it midway through the second on another by Boswell as he took a long feed up ice and proceeded to crank a slap shot from the left circle that flew past Greater Sudbury’s Joel Rainville.
After being stymied by Nickolau for most of the night, the Cubs clicked three times in rapid succession to help secure the road victory.
Josh Boucher put the guests back in front for good at 12:48 as he bagged the eventual game-winner by chipping one in from the left of the crease.
Adding another moments later, Campbell notched his second of the evening, and 25th overall, by spinning and whipping in a rebound past a sprawled Cochrane goaltender.
They then saw Christopher Innes pick up his first NOJHL goal as he was left with a tap-in off a cross-crease feed from Pierson Sobush to round out the scoring.