For the first time in well over a decade, the NOJHL (Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League) sees one of their representatives at the Centennial Cup advancing to the playoff round.

A hard fought 2-1 win by the Greater Sudbury Cubs over the Kam River Fighting Walleye allowed the two time defending league champs to claim third spot in their five team pool, earning a berth in the quarter-finals on Friday versus the Melfort Mustangs (2nd in Pool B).

Ironically, it was in Saskatchewan (Humboldt, to be precise) back in 2012 that the Soo Thunderbirds earned a berth in the semi-finals, eliminated thanks to a 3-0 loss at the hands of the eventual champion Penticton Vees.

Prior to that, the northern Ontario league and this area in particular had last enjoyed success in the spring of 2000 when the Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats were edged out 2-1 by the host Fort McMurray Oil Barons in the final of what was then the Royal Bank Cup.

On Wednesday in Calgary, the Cubs rode second period power play goals from Nolan Newton and Lincoln Moore to victory as Sudbury netminder Karsen Chartier bounced back nicely from having been pulled in game three, stopping 28 of the 29 shots directed his way.

Only a second period snipe from Easton Debray eluded the local product as Sudbury finished round robin play with a record of two regulation wins and two regulation losses for six points, trailing the Trenton Golden Hawks (9 points) and Northern Manitoba Blizzard (7) in Pool A standings.

Sudbury and Melfort will open the two-game slate tomorrow with a 4:00 p.m. puck drop while the Rockland Nationals and Northern Manitoba Blizzard go toe to toe at 7:30 p.m.