Photo Credit: Freeze Frame Photos
The Greater Sudbury Cubs opened their 2026 NOJHL semi-final series in dominant fashion on Thursday, April 2nd, skating to a 5–1 victory over the Soo Eagles in Walden, Ontario. The matchup marked the first postseason meeting between the two clubs since 2022, with both teams entering the series on a high after sweeping their respective quarter-final opponents.
Sudbury, the 2025–2026 regular season champions, showed their depth and offensive firepower after a tight opening frame. Meanwhile, the seventh-seeded Eagles looked to continue their underdog run following a four-game sweep of the Powassan Voodoos.
The Eagles struck first at 3:57 of the opening period, as Lucas Caufield recorded his third goal of the playoffs, finishing a play set up by Nolan Nemechek and Kaden Schneider to give Soo a 1–0 lead. The Cubs responded midway through the period when Daks Klinkhammer capitalized on a two-on-one rush at 11:55, netting his fourth of the postseason off passes from Mason Walker and Nate Lazarus to even the score at 1–1 heading into the intermission.
A scoreless second period saw both teams tighten defensively, setting the stage for a decisive third period surge by Sudbury. At 6:23, Klinkhammer struck again, scoring his second of the game and fifth of the playoffs with an assist from Alex Valade to give the Cubs their first lead of the night.
The Cubs extended their advantage on the power play at 8:35, when Briir Long buried his fifth of the postseason, assisted by Mason Walker and Spencer Horgan to make it 3–1. Long wasn’t finished, adding his second goal of the contest at 12:10—his sixth of the playoffs—once again with help from Walker, who picked up his third assist of the game.
Sudbury capped off the scoring late in the period while shorthanded, as Kaedyn Long found the empty net at 19:17 for his second of the playoffs, assisted by Caden Dubreuil, sealing the 5–1 victory.
For the Greater Sudbury Cubs, goaltender Iain Wintle turned aside 27 of 28 shots to backstop his club to the game one victory. while at the other end, Soo Eagles netminder Jace Knoerle made 35 saves on 40 shots in the opening series loss.
Eagles coach Jeremy Rebek told Saultsports that “I think we had a pretty good first period and then we kinda sat back and watched them make plays. They were hungrier for majority of the hockey game and we gave them way too many opportunities which in the end will cost your team. As a coaching staff, we need to make the proper adjustments. It’s one game and we’ve won for the last four out of five games. So we will rebound, regroup and we will be recharged..”
“Lots of hockey to play still,” said Rebek.
With the win, the Cubs take a 1–0 lead in the best-of-seven semi-final series. Game two is set for Friday, April 3rd, back in Walden, with puck drop scheduled for 7:00 p.m as the Eagles look to rebound and even the series.
