Cubs hold off late charge by Thunderbirds

With the first three games being tight, it wasn’t shocking that game four between the Soo Thunderbirds and Greater Sudbury Cubs was no different.

A pair of quick power play goals in the third period by the Cubs turned into the difference as the Cubs picked up a 4-3 win over the Thunderbirds Tuesday night at the John Rhodes Community Centre.

With the win, the Cubs tied the best-of-7 Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League series between the two clubs at two games apiece.

The Thunderbirds opened the scoring as Jacob Smith drove the net down the middle and converted a pass from Daniel Beaupre cutting in from the left wing, beating Cubs goaltender Noah Metivier at 7:16.

Sudbury tied the game at one with 3:48 to go in the opening period as Justin Seguin beat Thunderbirds goaltender Kolton Bourret on a point shot through traffic that bounced up and over the Sault netminder.

After the Thunderbirds couldn’t take advantage of a two-man advantage in the second period, Sudbury used a power play of their own to take the lead in the game.

Just 28 seconds into the power play Samuel Assinewai beat Bourret from the slot after getting the puck from Oliver Smith in the left circle with 1:29 to go in the period.

The Cubs extended the lead in the third period thanks to goals on both penalties in a 5-on-3 power play.

Assinewai scored his second goal of the night with three seconds to go in the first penalty as he took a pass down low from Ethan Larmand and stepped out before beating Bourret from in close to make it 3-1.

The Cubs then scored again on the man advantage 32 seconds later as Ethan Larmand converted a back-door pass from Martin to make it a 4-1 game.

The Thunderbirds made a game of it thanks to a pair of late goals in regulation time.

Beaupre made it a 4-2 game with 3:46 to go with a power play goal. The veteran forward scored on a rebound after Metivier stopped a point shot by Kaden Dundas initially.

The Thunderbirds then pulled to within one as Smith took a pass in the slow on the power plat and beat Metivier with 1:53 to go.

Game five in the series is set for Thursday night in Sudbury with game six on Saturday night in Sault Ste. Marie.