The start of the 2025 Centennial Cup could not have possibly been more contrasting for the Greater Sudbury Cubs, a team which made their first appearance in more than 30 years last May in Oakville.
Where that eye opener would find the Cubs on the wrong end of a 10-2 shellacking at the hands of the Collingwood Blues in 2024, their debut Friday night in Calgary was a far more amenable 6-2 victory over the Grande Prairie Storm from Alberta.
For as much as that sounds like a comfortable win, the Cubs can thank goaltender Karsen Chartier for not having this affair unravel early. Despite being outshot 16-6 in the opening frame, it was the NOJHL champs that exited the first period with a 1-0 lead.
Ryan Rubic converted on a pass from Ben Harris and Chartier was more than solid, coming up with at least one highlight-reel save in weathering the Storm early.
Special teams were the story of period two as the teams combined to net five goals, four of which came on the power-play. Noah Kohan (Cubs - 2:26), Colin Doherty (Storm - 6:19), Alec Hall (Storm - 8:45), Daks Klinkhammer (Cubs - 9:15) and Klinkhammer, with his second (17:25) all hit the mark as Sudbury carried a 4-2 lead into the final frame.
From there, it was recent call-up and Sault Ste Marie native Lincoln Moore who would put the icing on the cake, scoring twice in a span of 79 seconds as Nolan Newton drew assists on both goals.
Moore completed the 2024-2025 season with the St Mary's Lincolns of the GOJHL after beginning the year with the Saginaw Spirit, the same team with whom he appeared in 11 playoff games in 2023-2024 as the Spirit completed their run to the Memorial Cup last spring.
Chartier would finish the game with 35 saves while the Cubs chased starter Nicholas Jones who surrendered six goals on just 18 shots, with replacement Keagin Kelln going 4/4 in 12 minutes of work.
Sudbury is back in action Saturday evening, taking on the Northern Manitoba Blizzard with the MJHL league reps coming off a 5-4 overtime loss at the hands of the Trenton Golden Hawks in the very first game of the tournament Thursday afternoon.
