Cubs host Paper Kings on LUG Sports promo night

Sudbury, ON – The Greater Sudbury Cubs (34-9-1-1) host the Espanola Paper Kings (27-17-0-0) for the fifth time this season in the first game of a back-to-back, home-at-home series. against the. The Cubs and their Western Division rivals are coming off wins in their last games – a seven-round 5-4 shootout victory for the Cubs on Groundhog Day, and a 2-0 shutout for the Paper Kings over the Soo Thunderbirds one night later.

Greater Sudbury split two games last week, suffering a 5-2 loss at home against the Powassan Voodoos last Thursday, before extinguishing late-game fireworks by the French River Rapids the next night in a 5-4, seven-round shootout win where defenceman Chris Innes played hero for the Cubs. With the split, Sudbury moved down one spot to 13th in the Canadian Junior Hockey League’s Top 20 Rankings – Fueled by Gatorade and are tied with the Blind River Beavers at 70 points. The Cubs are now second in the league in Goals For (216) and remain third in the league in Goals Against (130). The Cubs enter tonight with a home record of 17-3-1-1 and are 7-2-1-0 in their last 10 games.

The Paper Kings come into the Countryside Sports Complex winners of six of their last 10 games and have only two wins in their last five games despite entering tonight coming off a 2-0 shutout victory over the Thunderbirds. Espanola is fifth in the West Division with an overall record of 27-17-0-0 and enter tonight with an away record of 13-11-0-0.

Previous meetings

This season has been a back-and-forth battle, with the Cubs holding a slim one-game advantage in the win column and enter tonight with a season record of 4-1-1-1 against the Paper Kings. Espanola has won the previous two meetings by one-goal margins, a 4-3 shootout win on December 14th and a 6-5 overtime win on January 4th. However, over the last five seasons, the Cubs hold an
8-3-1-0 record over the Paper Kings.

Player to watch (Sudbury)

Oliver Smith (03-F) – The forward now sits ninth all-time in the Greater Sudbury Cubs’ history books after passing Todd Vaillancourt (201) for regular season player points with 204 career points. He enters tonight on an 18-game point streak where the 20-year-old has 17 goals and 20 assists for 37 points in that span.

Player to watch (Espanola)

Owen Fergusson (04-F) – The Bancroft, ON, native scored both Paper Kings’ goals in their 2-0 victory over the Thunderbirds in their last game. In this, his first season with Espanola, the forward has racked up 30 goals and 53 assists for 83 points through 43 games played.

LEADING SCORERS – SUDBURY

1. Oliver Smith (03-F) – 45 GP – 35 G – 45 A – 80 Pts [4 PPG – 16 PPA – 1 SHG – 1 SHA – 6 GWG]
2. * Hudson Chitaroni (07-F) – 42 GP – 24 G – 33 A – 57 Pts [7 PPG – 12 PPA – 1 SHA – 2 GWG]
3. Nolan Newton (06-F) – 23 GP – 24 G – 24 A – 48 Pts [10 PPG – 4 PPA – 4 GWG]
4. Samuel Assinewai (04-F) – 28 GP – 17 G – 29 A – 46 Pts [3 PPG – 5 PPA – 1 GWG]
5. Cameron Shanks (04-F) – 43 GP – 10 G – 21 A – 31 Pts [1 PPA – 1 SHG – 1 SHA – 2 GWG]

* rookie

LEADING SCORERS – ESPANOLA

1. Owen Fergusson (04-F) – 43 GP – 30 G – 53 A – 83 Pts [13 PPG – 15 PPA – 2 SHG – 4 SHA – 5 GWG]
2. Lucas Signoretti (04-F) – 37 GP – 33 G – 46 A – 79 Pts [12 PPG – 22 PPA – 3 SHG – 1 SHA – 3 GWG]
3. Spencer Hogan (05-D) – 40 GP – 21 G – 49 A – 70 Pts [7 PPG – 25 PPA – 1 SHG – 3 SHA – 4 GWG]
4. Blake Peters-Davey (04-F) – 38 GP – 17 G – 31 A – 48 Pts [2 PPG – 13 PPA – 1 SHA – 1 GWG]
5. Jack Lynes (03-F) – 42 GP – 13 G – 16 A – 29 Pts [2 PPG – 3 PPA – 1 SHA – 4 GWG]

LAST FIVE GAMES – SUDBURY

1. 5-4 W @ French River (02-02-24)
2. 5-2 L vs Powassan (01-02-24)
3. 5-3 W @ Powassan (27-01-24)
4. 7-1 W vs Soo Eagles (25-01-24)
5. 3-2 L @ Soo Thunderbirds (19-01-24)

LAST FIVE GAMES – ESPANOLA

1. 2-0 W @ Soo Thunderbirds (03-02-24)
2. 7-0 L vs Soo Thunderbirds (28-01-24)
3. 5-4 L @ Powassan (26-01-24)
4. 4-1 W @ French River (20-01-24)
5. 5-0 L vs Powassan (19-01-24)

GOALIE STATS – SUDBURY

1. Noah Beaulne (04-G) – 19 GP – 14 W – 3 L – 1 OTL – 2.51 GAA – 0.912 SV%
2. Noah Metivier (04-G) – 30 GP – 20 W – 6 L – 1 SOL – 2 SO – 2.90 GAA – 0.914 SV%
3. Matthew Vahramian (06-G) – 19 GP – 3 W – 11 L – 2 SOL – 4.72 GAA – 0.883 SV%

GOALIE STATS – ESPANOLA

1. * Luka Straser (05-G) – 2 GP – 0 W – 0 L – 3.24 GAA – 0.923 SV%
2. Andrew Gaulton (06-G) – 18 GP – 10 W – 6 L – 2 SOL – 1 SO – 3.31 GAA – 0.914 SV%
3. Jack Marois (03-G) – 30 GP – 17 W – 11 L – 1 SO – 3.62 GAA – 0.909 SV%

* rookie

POINT STREAKS OR RECORDS – SUDBURY

• Nolan Newton (06-F) – The French River, ON, native enters tonight on a four-game point streak where the forward has racked up four goals and four assists over that time.

• Ben Harris (04-F) – After breaking an eight-game goalless drought against the French River Rapids last Friday, the forward has now set a new NOJHL high in goals (8), and 18 assists for 26 points through 43 games this season.

• Cameron Shanks (04-F) – The Lively, ON, native has been held pointless in 10 straight games and looks to get his first points of 2024 tonight against the Paper Kings.

POINT STREAKS OR RECORDS – ESPANOLA

• Lucas Signoretti (04-F) – The 19-year-old tied his NOJHL career high in points (79) with his two-assist game against the Soo Thunderbirds last Saturday and will look to set a new career high tonight against the Cubs.

• Jake Marois (04-G) – The 20-year-old notched his first career NOJHL shutout last Saturday in his team’s 2-0 win over the Thunderbirds. The Sudbury, ON, native is expected to be between the pipes tonight.

• Aiden Pethick (04–D) – The 19-year-old broke an eight-game pointless drought with an assist on Espanola’s game-winning goal in their last game.