Cubs pitch shutout in debut
Captain Owen Perala started the show with a goal, Joel Rainville completed the shutout and the rebranded Sudbury Cubs blanked the visiting Espanola Express 4-0 as the 2021-2022 regular season got underway on Thursday in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
Rainville, who played for Espanola for two seasons and holds the franchise record for wins by a goalie with 18, stopped all 27 shots he faced in a perfect debut for the Cubs, formerly the Rayside Balfour Canadians.
Pierson Sobush, Michael Campbell and Cameron Shanks also scored for Sudbury while rookie Patrick Boivin made 34 saves in the Espanola net.
The game was closer than the final score indicated as Sudbury was protecting a 2-0 lead until it scored twice in the final 86 seconds of the game to put away the 4-0 victory.