Sooner or later, the games between the Greater Sudbury Cubs and Blind River Beavers were going to get closer.

After 58 NOJHL regular season games, the top two teams in the West were separated by just two points.

There was little to suggest that a two game home ice playoff sweep by the Cubs with a combined score of 14-3 was likely to continue.

In the end, it mattered little.

Recording their second low scoring road win of the series Thursday night in Blind River, the Cubs eliminated the Beavers in five games, moving on to the league final where they will face the East Division winner of the Timmins Rock - Powassan Voodoos showdown (Powassan is up 3-2 with game six tonight at home).

Sudbury once again took the wind out of the Blind River sails early, scoring twice in the opening 12:01 of game five, a pattern that was repeated through much of the latter stages of this matchup.

Cameron Walker and Ethan Larmand gave the Cubs all of the offense they would need as only Michael Gallagher (13:10 - 2nd - PP) managed to solve Sudbury netminder Noah Metivier, named first star after registering 19 saves in the 3-1 win.

Oliver Smith capped off the scoring with an empty-net goal with just two seconds to play as the Cubs move on to their first league final since 2018 when they dropped a six game series, despite picking up victories in games one and two.