Cubs host Thunderbirds in pivotal Game 5

Sudbury, ON – The Greater Sudbury Cubs return home to the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex for Game 5 after evening up their opening round series against the Soo Thunderbirds at 2-2 on Tuesday night. The Cubs kicked off their series last Thursday at home with a 2-1 win before narrowly dropping Games 2 and 3 to the T-Birds, a 3-2 overtime loss in the former and a 4-2 loss in the latter.

Greater Sudbury found their stride on the power play in Game 4, scoring three of their four goals with the man advantage – something the club failed to do in Games 1 and 3 of the series. The Cubs are now 4/18 on the power play (22.22%) with only one power play goal at home so far this series (12.5%). In the regular season, the Cubs led the West Division in this category, scoring 37 out of 119 times on the power play at home (31.1%). Overall, they finished second in the division with a regular season power play percentage of 25.5%.

The Thunderbirds have seen plenty of power play time this series with 24 opportunities through four games this series, scoring six times with the man advantage (25%). The Soo finished fourth in the West Division with a regular season power play percentage of 24.3%.

Previous meetings

The best-of-seven series between these two clubs is now a best-of-three after each team took a home-ice split. Only one goal separates the two teams with the Soo holding a narrow 11-10 advantage in Goals For, however, with a collective 42 penalty minutes called between the two teams in just four games, the rest of the series is going to come down to discipline and which team can take advantage of its opportunities, without giving away secondary and/or retaliatory penalties.

Player to watch (Sudbury)

Marshall McCharles (06-F) – The 17-year-old has already surpassed last season’s playoff total of two assists in 10 games with two goals and one assist for three points through just four contests this series. The North Bay, ON, native now has two goals and three assists for five points through 14 career playoff games and finished the 2023-24 regular season with 14 goals and 22 assists for 36 points in 39 games played.

Player to watch (Sault Ste. Marie)

Daniel Beaupre (03-F) – The 20-year-old has broken out in a big way with goals in three straight games and a total of three goals and three assists for six points in four games this series. The North Vancouver, BC, native now has six goals and 10 assists for 16 points in 20 career playoff games and finished the 2023-24 regular season with 22 goals and 36 assists for 58 points in 58 games played.

BEAR FACTS

PLAYOFF LEADING SCORERS – SUDBURY

1. Samuel Assinewai (04-F) – 4 GP – 3 G – 1 A – 4 Pts [3 PPG]
2. ^* Hudson Martin (07-D) – 4 GP – 4 A – 4 Pts [3 PPA]
3. Marshall McCharles (06-F) – 4 GP – 2 G – 1 A – 3 Pts
4. Nolan Newton (06-F) – 4 GP – 2 G – 1 A – 3 Pts [1 GWG]
5. ^* Hudson Chitaroni (07-F) – 4 GP – 1 G – 2 A – 3 Pts

* rookie

PLAYOFF LEADING SCORERS – SAULT STE. MARIE

1. Daniel Beaupre (03-F) – 4 GP – 3 G – 3 A – 6 Pts [2 PPG – 1 PPA – 1 SHG]
2. ^* Declan Gallivan (07-D) – 4 GP – 1 G – 4 A – 5 Pts [1 PPG – 3 PPA]
3. Silas Crawford (03-F) – 4 GP – 3 A – 3 Pts [2 PPA]
4. Kaden Dundas (03-D) – 4 GP – 3 A – 3 Pts [3 PPA]
5. Jonathan Sonedecker (04-F) – 4 GP – 2 G – 2 Pts [1 PPG – 2 GWG]

* rookie

PLAYOFF LAST FIVE GAMES – SUDBURY

1. 4-3 W @ Soo Thunderbirds (26-03-2024)
2. 4-2 L @ Soo Thunderbirds (25-03-2024)
3. 3-2 L vs Soo Thunderbirds (22-03-2024)
4. 2-1 W vs Soo Thunderbirds (21-03-2024)

PLAYOFF LAST FIVE GAMES – SAULT STE. MARIE

1. 4-3 L vs Greater Sudbury (26-03-2024)
2. 4-2 W vs Greater Sudbury (25-03-2024)
3. 3-2 W @ Greater Sudbury (22-03-2024)
4. 2-1 L @ Greater Sudbury (21-03-2024)

PLAYOFF GOALIE STATS – SUDBURY

1. Noah Metivier (04-G) – 4 GP – 2 W – 1 L – 1 OTL – 10 GA – 2.42 GAA – 0.909 SV%

PLAYOFF GOALIE STATS – SAULT STE. MARIE

1. Kolton Bourret (05-G) – 4 GP – 2 W – 2 L – 10 GA – 2.44 GAA – 0.925 SV%

PLAYOFF POINT STREAKS OR RECORDS – SUDBURY

1. Hudson Martin (07-D) – The rookie defenceman scored three helpers in Game 4 after being held pointless in Games 2 and 3 after picking up an assist in Game 1. Now with four assists in four games, the Midhurst, ON, native looks to build on this offensive spark and add to his first-year playoff totals.

2. Ethan Larmand (03-F) – The Midland, ON, native has shown his veteran presence throughout the Cubs’ opening round series making key plays on the ice and motivating the team from the bench. The forward now has one goal and two assists through four games after his two-point effort in Game 4.

3. Oliver Smith (03-F) – The Lively, ON, native broke a three-game pointless drought to start the series with a two-assist night in the Cubs’ Game 4 win over the Thunderbirds. Greater Sudbury’s regular season leading scorer (45 G, 57 A – 102 Pts) now has five goals and eight assists for 13 points in 14 career playoff games.

PLAYOFF POINT STREAKS OR RECORDS – SAULT STE. MARIE

1. Declan Gallivan (07-F) – The rookie defenceman has points in four straight games with one goal and four assists for five points in that span. He now has two goals and five assists for seven points through 11 career playoff games.

2. Daniel Beaupre (03-F) – The North Vancouver, BC, native now has points in three straight games and looks to make it four heading into Game 5. With three goals and three assists in four games, the forward leads the Thunderbirds in scoring and now has six goals and 10 assists for 16 points in 20 career playoff games.

3. Jacob Smith (06-F) – The rookie forward broke a three-game pointless drought with a two-goal performance in Game 4. The Sault Ste. Marie, ON, native has now equalled last season’s playoff point total of two, and now has three goals and one assist for four points through 10 career playoff games.