Cubs host Voodoos on Cubs Cushy Giveaway Night

Sudbury, Ont. – The Greater Sudbury Cubs look to keep fans on the edge of their seats as they host the Powassan Voodoos for the third time this season on Cubs Cushy Giveaway Night. Sudbury picked up three of a possible four points from last week’s contests against the Espanola Paper Kings and Powassan, losing 6-5 in an overtime thriller in the former while exploding for a five-goal second period to clutch a 7-5 win in the latter.

Greater Sudbury is tied with the Blind River Beavers for most points in the NOJHL (58) and maintain a 15^th placed ranking in the Canadian Junior Hockey League’s Top 20 Rankings – Fuelled by Gatorade. They continue to be a dominant force, leading the league in Goals For (183) but third in the league in Goals Against (107). The Cubs enter tonight 7-1-1-1 in their last 10 games.

The Voodoos fly into the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex winners of three of their last five games – all against the French River Rapids – but are 5-5-0-0 in their last 10 games entering tonight.

Previous meetings

This is the seventh meeting between these two teams this season with the Cubs holding a 5-1-0-0 record. Only one game between these two teams has seen less than seven goals scored with that one game being Powassan’s only win against Greater Sudbury this season – a 3-1 regulation win on Oct. 4 in Sudbury. Thursday is the third time the Cubs will host the Voodoos this season and they’ll look to continue their winnings ways, coming into tonight 14-6-1-0 all time against them.

Player to watch (Sudbury)

CHRIS INNES (03-D) – The 20-year-old has played in only 22 games this season but is fired up to be back in the lineup and has shown what a staple he is on the team’s back-end. Just four points shy of his season-high (26), the Sudbury native is producing at a point-per-game pace and enters tonight on a three-game point streak dating back to December 2.

Player to watch (Powassan)

CHASE THOMPSON (05-F) – Exploding offensively this season and setting new NOJHL career totals in goals, assists, and points, the 18-year-old will look to keep his 14-game point streak alive where he’s totalled eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points in that span. The North Bay, ON, product turns 19-years-old on January 12 and will look to celebrate with a win against the Cubs.

BEAR FACTS

LEADING SCORERS – SUDBURY

1. Oliver Smith (03-F) – 37 GP – 29 G – 36 A – 65 Pts [3 PPG – 10 PPA – 1 SHA – 5 GWG]
2. * Hudson Chitaroni (07-F) – 34 GP – 20 G – 25 A – 45 Pts [5 PPG – 7 PPA – 1 SHA – 2 GWG]
3. Samuel Assinewai (04-F) – 23 GP – 14 G – 24 A – 38 Pts [2 PPG – 5 PPA – 1 GWG]
4. Cameron Shanks (04-F) – 35 GP – 10 G – 21 A – 31 Pts [1 PPA – 1 SHG – 1 SHA – 2 GWG]
5. Cameron Walker (03-F) – 35 GP – 15 G – 14 A – 29 Pts [3 PPG – 6 PPA – 2 SHG – 1 SHA – 1 GWG]

* rookie

LEADING SCORERS – POWASSAN

1. Cameron Lemcke (03-F) – 35 GP – 12 G – 31 A – 43 Pts [2 PPG – 8 PPA – 1 SHA]
2. Mathieu MacMillan (04-F) – 31 GP – 16 G – 24 A – 40 Pts [7 PPG – 7 PPA – 3 GWG]
3. Chase Thompson (05-F) – 34 GP – 16 G – 23 A – 39 Pts [4 PPG – 7 PPA – 1 GWG]
4. * Reyth Smith (07-F) – 32 GP – 16 G – 16 A – 32 Pts [1 PPG – 5 PPA – 1 SHG – 3 GWG]
5. Rhys Smetham (03-F) – 35 GP – 12 G – 15 A – 27 Pts [1 PPG – 3 PPA – 1 GWG]

* rookie

LAST FIVE GAMES – SUDBURY

1. 7-5 W @ Powassan (06-01-24)
2. 6-5 OTL vs Espanola (04-01-24)
3. 4-3 W vs Soo Eagles (15-12-23)
4. 4-3 L vs Espanola (14-12-23)
5. 4-3 W @ Powassan (08-12-23)

LAST FIVE GAMES – POWASSAN

1. 7-5 L vs Greater Sudbury (06-01-24)
2. 9-2 W vs French River (05-01-24)
3. 5-3 L vs Timmins (16-12-23)
4. 4-3 W vs French River (15-12-23)
5. 6-2 W @ French River (09-12-23)

GOALIE STATS – SUDBURY

1. Noah Metivier (04-G) – 26 GP – 18 W – 4 L – 1 SOL – 2 SO – 2.84 GAA – 0.914 SV%
2. Noah Beaulne (04-G) – 15 GP – 10 W – 3 L – 1 OTL – 2.72 GAA – 0.905 SV%

GOALIE STATS – POWASSAN

1. Daniel Dirracolo (05-G) – 26 GP – 12 W – 10 L – 1 SOL – 1 SO – 3.00 GAA – 0.920 SV%
2. * Miles Gordon (05-G) – 6 GP – 4 W – 2 L – 3.19 GAA – 0.899 SV%
3. * Tyson Wilcox (05-G) – 5 GP – 3 W – 1 L – 3.56 GAA – 0.910 SV%

* rookie

POINT STREAKS OR RECORDS – SUDBURY

1. Cameron Walker (03-F) – With eight points in his last 10 games, the 20-year-old enters tonight on a four-game point streak with two goals and two assists in that span.
2. Hudson Chitaroni (07-F) – The 16-year-old rookie eclipsed the 20-goal mark with his three-point game against the Voodoos on Jan. 6 and is now five points shy (20 G, 25 A – 45 Pts) of the 50-point mark.
3. Josh Kavanagh (03-D) – The 20-year-old has nine points in his last 10 games and enters tonight on a four-game point streak with two power-play goals and three assists in that span.

POINT STREAKS OR RECORDS – POWASSAN

1. Reyth Smith (07-F) – The 16-year-old rookie forward is producing at a point-per-game pace, securing 16 goals and 16 assists for 32 points through 32 games played this season, and enters tonight on a five-game point streak and points in 16 of his last 20 games.
2. Rhys Smetham (03-F) – The 20-year-old forward enters tonight on a seven-game point streak and has five goals and five assists for 10 points in that span.
3. Cameron Lemcke (03-F) – The 20-year-old’s next goal will set a new NOJHL career high for himself (13) after already setting career highs in assists and points (12 G, 31 A – 43 Pts) through 35 games played this season. The Callander, ON, native recently broke the 100-point mark during his three-point night in Powassan’s first game of 2024 – a 9-2 win against French River.