Photos: Rob Fera – Points North Media
SUDBURY, Ont. – Getting multiple markers in each period, the Greater Sudbury Cubs went on to blast the Espanola Paper Kings 10-2 in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play Thursday at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
Converting on an early five-on-three, the Cubs opened the scoring just over five minutes into the contest when Spencer Horgan took a cross-ice pass from Owen King, then took a stride to the middle and wired a shot high over the blocker of Paper Kings’ netminder Logan Vale.
Taking a 2-0 lead into the first intermission, Greater Sudbury quickly broke out of their own zone off a draw that led to Mason Walker darting down the left wing where he sent a feed to the crease that was steered in by Nolan Newton, who on the night, extended a consecutive game point streak to 11.
Moving to the middle stanza, the Cubs clicked early when Jacob Signoretti moved up along the right side boards and chipped the puck over that allowed Kaedyn Long to skate in, make a slight hesitation, then snap in his 11th of the season.
Coming right back, the home side got another one less than a minute later as recently signed Grant Booth scored in his season debut as he lifted in the leftovers on an in-close chance generated by Horgan.
Espanola eventually solved Greater Sudbury goalkeeper Iain Wintle on a power play at 12:26 when defenceman Reid de Bokx was teed up in the high slot by Owen Smith and whipped in a wrist shot.
The point was Smith’s 43rd of 2025-26, which leads all league rookies.
Getting that back, Walker made it 5-1 after 40 minutes as he corralled a loose puck that a diving Vale could not quite control and neatly tucked in a backhand into the open side.
That also saw a change in net as Carter Arnold entered in relief for the guests.
In the final frame, the Cubs put it out of reach beginning when Caden Dubreuil flew up the right wing and after cutting around a defender put a play over to Signoretti, who went in and buried his chance into the left corner of the net at 7:25.
Adding to the goal totals midway through the session, Long set-up King between the circles where he zipped in his 28th.
The secondary assist on that tally went to Alex Valade, who is now on an eight-game heater, points wise.
A second on the night for the Paper Kings saw Colton Loiselle finish off a rebound of a Wyatt Farries attempt.
King then got just enough of a chance to get it across the goal line for his second of the evening, then made quick work while his side was up a skater for his third of the game and 30th overall.
Wrapping up the barrage, Newton registered his 100th NOJHL goal for another via the power play.
With the victory, the Cubs improve to a NOJHL-best 30-6-2-2 and in defeat, the Paper Kings fall to 21-16-1-2.
