The Greater Sudbury Cubs knew coming in that the OJHL champion Toronto Patriots were unlike any other opponent they had faced all year.

They now simply have more first-hand knowledge regarding why the team that posted an impressive 47-8-0-1 record in regular season play and were truly only threatened in one of the four playoff series they navigated came into Centennial Cup action so highly regarded.

It took all of 22 seconds for the Patriots to net their first goal opposite the Cubs earlier today and by the time the damage was done, Sudbury had suffered their first post-season loss of 2026, beaten 8-3 by Toronto.

Cole Cooksey scored the first two goals of the game and completed his hat-trick late in the third with Anthony Giacalone adding two goals of his own.

Alex Hebblethwaite, Luke Howard and Tommy Karmiris rounded out the scoring for the winners who peppered the Sudbury goaltending tandem of Iain Wintle and Matthew Varahmian with 48 shots.

Replying in a losing cause for Sudbury were Noah Kohan, Briir Long and Lincoln Moore as the Cubs look to bounce back on Friday evening, facing the Truro Bearcats.