The Greater Sudbury Cubs learned quickly that there really is no substitute for hard work.

Just a few days after having opened their 2021-2022 campaign with a 4-0 whitewashing of the Espanola Express and having added Kingston Frontenacs' prospect Cameron Walker to their lineup in the interim, the local NOJHLers dropped the second half of the home and home, falling 5-3 to the Express on Sunday.

Third period goals by James Eng and Caleb Resch solved a game that was tied at 3-3 after forty minutes of play, with Espanola outshooting Sudbury 47-37 in the matinee affair.

Kyler Campbell (Cubs) and Ty McHutchion (Express) traded goals in the opening frame, while Pineshish Whiteduck and Cole Quevillon (Cubs) did likewise with McHutchion and Nicholas Toffoli in the middle stanza.

Both starting netminders from game one were right back at it, with Patrick Boivin picking up the win and Joel Rainville saddled with the loss.

The Cubs will play three times this week, welcoming the Blind River Beavers to the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex on Thursday evening (7:30) before travelling to Elliot Lake for an encounter with the Red Wings on Friday, closing off the weekend with a road matchup against the Soo Thunderbirds on Sunday afternoon.

The Cubs announced on Sunday the acquisition of 18 year old forward Cameron Walker, a Sudbury product who has played a couple of seasons in Espanola after suiting up with the Sudbury Minor Midget AAA team coached by Vagelli Sakellaris a few years back.