LIVELY, Ont. – Getting two goals apiece from Daks Klinkhammer and Briir Long sent the Greater Sudbury Cubs on their way to a 5-1 victory over the Soo Eagles in the opening game of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League semifinal at T.M. Davies Arena.
It was the visiting Eagles who scored first in the series as Lucas Caulfield took a Nolan Nemecek pass from behind the net and roofed a short-side wrist shot over the shoulder of Cubs’ starter Iain Wintle, nearly four minutes into the proceedings.
Greater Sudbury came back to tie it at 11:55, compliments of their captain, Klinkhammer, as he cranked in a one-timer past Sault Ste. Marie goaltender Jace Knoerle on a two-on-one while being set-up by Mason Walker, after coming out of their own zone in transition.
Still even at 1-1 into the second stanza, the Cubs held a considerable edge in shots on goal, but the solid efforts of Knoerle helped keep it even through two periods of play.
Moments after Walker was denied by Knoerle on a tremendous dash up-ice, Klinkhammer put Greater Sudbury ahead 6:23 into the third, as he collected a loose puck off a Alex Valade point attempt and moved in close where he lifted in his second of the night, with a shot over the blocker and in.
The home side then went up by a pair while on a power play that saw Briir Long quickly whip in a sharp pass put his way by Walker.
Long then added some insurance as he wheeled into the Eagles’ end and whipped one upstairs with 7:50 to go.
Getting their goalkeeper out late, and on the power play for a six-on-four, the Soo looked to get closer, but Kaedyn Long iced it for the Cubs with a shorthanded empty netter in the final minute to finish it off.
Game 2 goes Friday back at T.M. Davies at 7 p.m. and on FLOHockey.tv.
NOJHL semifinal
No. 1 Greater Sudbury Cubs vs. No. 7 Soo Eagles
Game 1: Cubs 5, Eagles 1
Game 2: Friday, April 3 @ Sudbury 7 p.m. (T.M. Davies Arena)
Game 3: Monday, April 6 @ Soo 7 p.m. (Pullar Stadium)
Game 4: Tuesday, April 7 @ Soo 7 p.m. (Pullar Stadium)
Game 5*: Thursday, April 9 @ Sudbury 7 p.m. (Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex)
Game 6*: Saturday, April 11 @ Soo 7 p.m. (Pullar Stadium)
Game 7*: T.B.A. @ Sudbury 7 p.m. (Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex)
*-if necessary
Greater Sudbury leads best-of-seven series 1-0
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