In the end, a mid-December #1 ranking in the country will not mean a whole lot if the Greater Sudbury Cubs do not follow it up by defending their NOJHL championship and capping off the 2024-2025 season with a really solid showing at the 2025 Centennial Cup in Calgary.

Still, I suppose it's only fair to allow players, coaches and management alike to enjoy this small present that they have gifted themselves, one which sees them breaking ground for teams in the northern loop.

In taking advantage of a 4-0 shutout posted by the Toronto Jr Canadiens, their opponents (Trenton Golden Hawks) dropping from # 1 to # 4 in the national rankings, the Cubs bumped up one spot - as did the Melfort Mustangs (SJHL - #2) and the Edmundston Blizzard (MHL - #4).

For their part, the Sudbury crew extended their latest winning streak to 13 games thanks to a 6-3 win last week at home over the Espanola Paper Kings.

Improving to 27-2-1-1 on the year, the Cubs have now equalled an earlier 13-game winning streak, the two stretches interrupted only by a 6-3 loss to the Hearst Lumberjacks back on November 7th in Hearst.

While the top line of Samuel Assinewai, Nolan Newton and Lucas Signoretti continue to contribute at both ends of the rink - the latter two both soring in this game - it was veteran Noah Kohan whose star shone the brightest.

The local product netted a pair of goals, including a short-handed marker with his team two men down late in the second that flipped the script, from a momentum standpoint, with Espanola on the verge of pulling even on the power play.

Mason Walker and Jacob Lamoureux also found the back of the net for the homeside, with Jack Anderson, Liam Rampersad and Kaden Wicklander replying in a losing cause.

The local NOJHLers now enjoy a break in their game schedule until the new year, opening 2025 on the road with encounters against the Powassan Voodoos (January 4th) and Elliot Lake Vikings (January 7th), returning home to host the French River Rapids on Thursday, January 9th.