Sudbury, ON – The Greater Sudbury Cubs kick off the 2024 NOJHL Playoffs tonight at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex when they open their best-of-seven opening round West Division Series against the Soo Thunderbirds, one of the league’s hottest teams down the stretch. The Cubs finished the regular season as the second-best team in the West Division and the entire league with 89 points, while the Thunderbirds finished with 83 points for a divisional third place finish.

Greater Sudbury is coming off a four-game win streak, finishing off the French River Rapids in an 8-1 scoreline in the Cubs’ last game of the regular season. During their four-game win streak, the Cubs outscored their opponents 27-7. This helped to push Sudbury to first in the league in Goals For with 285, averaging 4.91 goals per game this season, and locked up third in Goals Against with 167, allowing roughly 2.88 goals per game over their 58-game regular season.

The Thunderbirds, with a 9-1-0-0 record in their last 10, come to the Countryside Sports Complex as the hottest team in the league despite losing their last game of the regular season. The Soo closed things out with a Northeastern road trip, playing three games in three nights against the East Division leading Timmins Rock, Kirkland Lake Gold Miners, and ending the season against the Hearst Lumberjacks – who finished the season as the East’s second-best team with 78 points.

Previous meetings

Sault Ste. Marie narrowly came out regular season winners of these team’s in-season head-to-head matchups, winning three of their four games by a single goal. Despite being outscored by the Soo 15-11, credit Greater Sudbury’s penalty killing units for allowing only two power-play goals out of 18 shorthanded opportunities the Cubs handed the Thunderbirds. The Cubs will attempt to avenge a second-round defeat in last year’s playoffs, which saw the Soo win in five games and advance to the NOJHL final.

Player to watch (Sudbury)

Nolan Newton (06-F) – The 18-year-old broke out in a big way for the Cubs this season, tallying 28 goals and 34 assists for 62 points in only 32 games played. Splitting time this season with the Barrie Colts (OHL), the French River, ON, native had two goals and two assists for four points against the Thunderbirds during regular season action and averaged 1.94 points per game throughout the entire season.

Player to watch (Sault Ste. Marie)

Jackson Truchan (03-F) – The 21-year-old racked up three goals and three assists against the Cubs this season and finished the year with 19 goals and 41 assists for 60 points through 36 games played for an average of 1.67 points per game. The Farmington Hills, MI, product racked up nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points through 13 playoff games last season for the Thunderbirds.

ANDREWS ANALYSIS BEAR FACTS gAME NOTeS 2
Cubs host Thunderbirds in Game 1 of NOJHL Playoffs • May 2024

BEAR FACTS

REGULAR SEASON LEADING SCORERS – SUDBURY

  1. Oliver Smith (03-F) – 58 GP – 45 G – 57 A – 102 Pts [8 PPG – 19 PPA – 2 SHG – 1 SHA – 6 GWG]
  2. * Hudson Chitaroni (07-F) – 55 GP – 31 G – 46 A – 77 Pts [11 PPG – 16 PPA – 1 SHA – 3 GWG]
  3. Samuel Assinewai (04-F) – 36 GP – 21 G – 43 A – 64 Pts [4 PPG – 8 PPA – 3 GWG]
  4. Nolan Newton (06-F) – 32 GP – 28 G – 34 A – 62 Pts [10 PPG – 10 PPA – 4 GWG]
  5. Cameron Shanks (04-F) – 56 GP – 17 G – 25 A – 42 Pts [1 PPA – 2 SHG – 1 SHA – 4 GWG]

* rookie

REGULAR SEASON LEADING SCORERS – SAULT STE. MARIE

  1. * Jacob Smith (06-F) – 58 GP – 29 G – 37 A – 66 Pts [10 PPG – 12 PPA – 1 SHA – 3 GWG]
  2. Jackson Truchan (03-F) – 36 GP – 19 G – 41 A – 60 Pts [6 PPG – 17 PPA – 5 GWG]
  3. Daniel Beaupre (03-F) – 58 GP – 22 G – 36 A – 58 Pts [5 PPG – 7 PPA – 2 SHG – 1 SHA – 4 GWG]
  4. Grayson Ebrahim (04-F) – 56 GP – 27 G – 29 A – 56 Pts [14 PPG – 9 PPA – 2 SHG – 6 GWG]
  5. * James Legler (05-F) – 57 GP – 8 G – 39 A – 47 Pts [1 PPG – 9 PPA]

* rookie

REGULAR SEASON LAST FIVE GAMES – SUDBURY

  1. 8-1 W @ French River (15-03-24)
  2. 3-2 W vs Powassan (14-03-24)
  3. 9-3 W @ Elliot Lake (08-03-24)
  4. 7-1 W vs Espanola (07-03-24)
  5. 7-6 L @ Espanola (03-03-24)

REGULAR SEASON LAST FIVE GAMES – SAULT STE. MARIE

  1. 6-2 L @ Hearst (17-03-24)
  2. 4-1 W @ Kirkland Lake (16-03-24)
  3. 7-2 W @ Timmins (15-03-24)
  4. 3-1 W vs Soo Eagles (12-03-24)
  5. 5-2 W vs Hearst (10-03-24)

REGULAR SEASON GOALIE STATS – SUDBURY

  1. Noah Beaulne (04-G) – 24 GP – 17 W – 3 L – 1 OTL – 1 SOL – 2.50 GAA – 0.917 SV%
  2. Noah Metivier (04-G) – 36 GP – 23 W – 9 L – 1 SOL – 2 SO – 2.98 GAA – 0.910 SV%
  3. Matthew Vahramian (06-G) – 20 GP – 4 W – 11 L – 2 SOL – 4.57 GAA – 0.884 SV%

REGULAR SEASON GOALIE STATS – SAULT STE. MARIE

  1. Kolton Bourret (05-G) – 31 GP – 22 W – 7 L – 2 OTL – 3 SO – 2.28 GAA – 0.922 SV%
  2. * Maverick Fletcher (06-G) – 18 GP – 12 W – 5 L – 1 SO – 2.68 GAA – 0.895 SV%
  3. * Troy Rossetto (05-G) – 3 GP – 1 W – 1 L – 1 OTL – 4.66 GAA – 0.825 SV%

* rookie

REGULAR SEASON POINT STREAKS OR RECORDS – SUDBURY

  1. Oliver Smith (03-F) – The 20-year-old enters tonight as the first Cubs’ player to record a 100-point season since the 2011-12 Sudbury Cubs had three players do so: Jordan Carrol – 157, Jamie Haines – 128, and Nick Esposto – 115. Smith finished this year with 45 goals and 57 assists for 102 points.
  1. Samuel Assinewai (04-F) – The 19-year-old saw his 15-game point streak come to an end on the final game of the season after being held pointless against French River in the Cubs’ 8-1 victory over the Rapids.
  1. Ethan Larmand (03-F) – The Midland, ON, native continues to prove himself instrumental in Greater Sudbury’s championship run, closing out the season with 13 goals and 12 assists for 25 points in 18 games, and enters tonight on a three-game point streak with five goals and two assists for seven points in that span.

REGULAR SEASON POINT STREAKS OR RECORDS – SAULT STE. MARIE

  1. Kelsey Ouellett (03-F) – The Kapuskasing, ON, native had a massive second half of the season, ending things on an 18-game point streak where the forward racked up 22 goals and 14 assists for 36 points in that span. Look for the 20-year-old to keep his streak alive during this series. 
  1. Jackson Truchan (03-F) – The forward closed out the regular season on a seven-game point streak with three goals and 13 assists in that span. With five game-winning goals to his credit, the T-Birds will rely on the 21-year-old to get on the scoresheet early in the series.
  1. Kolton Bourret (05-G) – The goaltender ended the season on a seven-game win streak, lastly defeating last year’s NOJHL Champion’s Timmins Rock, allowing just two goals on 33 shots. The Thunder Bay, ON, native finished the season with 22 wins, 3 shutouts, a 2.28 goals against average, and 0.922 save percentage.
Cubs goaltenders Noah Metevier and Noah Beaulne share a hug postgame
Sudbury goaltenders Noah Metevier and Noah Beaulne share a hug postgame (Sudbury Light Photography/Sudbury Cubs)

SEASON END STATS – SUDBURY

Season Record: 43-12-1-2 (89 points)

Last 10 Games: 6-3-0-1

Streak: 4-0-0-0

Last Game: 8-1 W @ French River (15-03-2024)

Home Record: 22-4-1-2

Away Record: 21-8-0-0

Goals For: 285

Goals Against: 167

Power Plays: 61/239 (25.52%)

Power Plays (Home): 37/119 (31.09%)

Power Plays (Away): 24/120 (20.00%)

Penalty Killing: 33/234 (85.89%)

Penalty Killing (Home): 13/108 (87.96%)

Penalty Killing (Away): 20/126 (84.12%)

SEASON END STATS – SAULT STE. MARIE

Season Record: 39-14-4-1 (83 points)

Last 10 Games: 9-1-0-0

Streak: 0-1-0-0

Last Game: 6-2 L @ Hearst (17-03-2024)

Home Record: 22-5-1-1

Away Record: 17-9-3-0

Goals For: 265

Goals Against: 158

Power Plays: 74/305 (24.26%)

Power Plays (Home): 35/157 (22.29%)

Power Plays (Away): 39/148 (26.35%)

Penalty Killing: 29/200 (85.50%)

Penalty Killing (Home): 14/107 (86.91%)

Penalty Killing (Away): 15/93 (83.87%)

Cubs’ Head-to-Head vs Thunderbirds

  1. 4-3 L vs Thunderbirds (19-10-23)
  2. 5-2 L @ Thunderbirds (11-11-23)
  3. 5-3 W vs Thunderbirds (18-01-24
  4. 3-2 L @ Thunderbirds (19-01-24)
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Greater Sudbury forward Hudson Chitaroni crashes the net (Sudbury Light/Sudbury Cubs media)

In-Season Four-Game Head-to-Head Comparisons

Cubs’ Top Scorers

  1. Nolan Newton – 2G, 2A – 4Pts

T1. Hudson Chitaroni – 2G, 2A – 4Pts

  1. Samuel Assinewai – 2G, 1A – 3Pts

T2. Mason Chitaroni – 3A – 3Pts

  1. Ben Lacroix – 2G – 2Pts

T3. Ben Harris – 1G, 1A – 2Pts

T3. Josh Kavanagh – 2A – 2Pts

T3. Josh Kavanagh – 2A – 2Pts

T3. Oliver Smith – 2A – 2Pts

  1. Brock Houser – 1G – 1Pt

T4. Noah Kohan – 1G – 1Pt

T4. Chris Innes – 1A – 1Pt

T4. Hudson Martin – 1A – 1Pt

T4. Cole Quevillon – 1A – 1Pt

Scoring Stats – CUBS

Cubs’ Goals For: 11

Cubs’ Goals Against: 15

Cubs’ Power Plays: 3/14 (21.43%)

Cubs’ Power Plays (Home): 2/6 (33.33%)

Cubs’ Power Plays (Away): 1/8 (12.50%)

Cubs’ Penalty Killing: 2/16 (87.50%)

Cubs’ Penalty Killing (Home): 1/8 (87.50%)

Cubs’ Penalty Killing (Away): 1/8 (80.00%)

Cubs’ Power Play Goals

  1. Hudson Chitaroni – 2
  2. Nolan Newton – 1

Cubs’ Goalie Stats

  1. Noah Metivier – 4 GP – 14 GA – 111/125 – 3.57 GAA – 0.888 SV% – 235 Mins

Thunderbirds’ Top Scorers

  1. Jackson Truchan – 3G, 3A – 6Pts
  2. Grayson Ebrahim – 4G – 4Pts
  3. Kaden Dundas – 1G, 2A – 3Pts

T3. Kelsey Ouellet – 2G, 1A – 3Pts 

T3. Callum McAuley – 1G, 2A – 3Pts

T3. Alex Remenda – 1G, 2A – 3Pts

T3. Jacob Smith – 1G, 2A – 3Pts

  1. Colton McIntosh – 1G, 1A – 2Pts

T4. Kolby Fellinger – 2A – 2Pts

T4. James Legler – 2A – 2Pts

T4. Candon O’Neill – 2A – 2Pts

T4. Jonathan Sonedecker – 2A – 2Pts

  1. Daniel Beaupre – 1G – 1Pt

Scoring Stats – THUNDERBIRDS

Thunderbirds’ Goals For: 15

Thunderbirds’ Goals Against: 11

Thunderbirds’ Power Plays: 2/16 (12.50%)

Thunderbirds’ Power Plays (Home): 1/8 (16.67%)

Thunderbirds’ Power Plays (Away): 1/8 (12.50%)

Thunderbirds’ Penalty Killing: 3/14 (78.57%)

Thunderbirds’ Penalty Killing (Home): 1/8 (87.50%)

Thunderbirds’ Penalty Killing (Away): 2/6 (66.67%)

Thunderbirds’ Power Play Goals

Grayson Ebrahim – 2

Thunderbirds’ Goalie Stats

  1. Kolton Bourret – 3 GP – 7 GA – 92/99 – 2.33 GAA – 0.929 SV% – 180:00 Mins
  2. Maverick Fletcher – 1 GP – 4 GA – 38/42 – 4.11 GAA – 0.905 SV% – 58:24 Mins
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