It would take one of the prettiest goals of the year from 20 year-old forward Cameron Walker to get there, but the Greater Sudbury Cubs now have the Espanola Paper Kings on the ropes.

With just over a minute remaining in game four of the first round NOJHL series Monday night in Espanola, Walker scooped up a puck behind his own net and literally went end to end, netting an unassisted beauty in lifting the Cubs to a 2-1 win over the Paper Kings and, more importantly, a three to one lead in the series.

It was Walker's second goal of the game after Justin Seguin opened the scoring with the only goal of period one, putting the home team ahead 1-0.

Sudbury took game one 4-2 last Thursday with Walker again leading the way, scoring twice and joined on the scoresheet by Cameron Shanks and Oliver Smith, with Jonathan Lush and Lucas Signoretti countering for the Kings.

Game two featured a Cubs third period comeback as a pair of goals from Devin Mauro and a solo tally from Atley Gringorten had Espanola clinging to a 3-2 lead in the third, with Oliver Smith and Ben Harris hitting the mark for the division leaders earlier in the game.

With just over five minutes to play, Smith pulled Sudbury even on the power play, setting the stage for a game-winner from defenceman Nicholas Toffoli, pouncing on a rebound in the high slot with 32 ticks showing on the clock.

Pierson Sobush added an empty-net goal as the locals took a 2-0 lead with the series shifting to Espanola.

Things got noticeably more uncomfortable for coach Darry Moxam and company when Espanola took game three by a final score of 3-1 as Jonathan Lush struck paydirt in the first and Lucas Signoretti did the same in the final two frames.

Kyloe Ellis accounted for the only Sudbury goal as he and his teammates now look to close things out Thursday night in Walden, with the opening puck drop set for 7:30 p.m.