Step one on the "Road to Repeat" is almost complete for the Greater Sudbury Cubs.

The defending NOJHL (Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League) champions are a game away of advancing to the semi-finals - though for the second straight game, the Cubs won by the slimmest of margins.

Lucas Signoretti's second goal of the night in the final minute of the first overtime period lifted the visitors from Sudbury to a 4-3 win over the Iroquois Falls Storm - but only after the Cubs squandered a 3-1 lead with just three minutes to play in regulation time.

After building up a 6-1 lead at home in game two only to hold on for a 6-5 win, the Cubs looked intent on enjoying a greater cushion as they took to the road, opening up a 2-0 lead by the middle of the first period on goals from Lucas Signoretti and Samuel Assinewai.

The middle stanza would see the teams trade goals as Jordan Mayo got the homeside on the board, a strike that was offset by a marker from Ben Harris as both teams converted with the man advantage.

Sudbury still looked to be in a great shape with time winding down until Jordan Mayo solved Sudbury netminder Karsen Chartier for a second time, making it a one goal game with three minutes to play.

Exactly one minute letter, the Storm pulled even as Jack Jarvis finished off a play with assists from Landon Tretheway and John Adlys, forcing the extra session.

Helping to keep Iroquois Falls in the game was Sudbury native Maverick Fletcher as the local puck-stopper had a 59-save effort spoiled by the game-winning tally from the league veteran who has run away with the NOJHL scoring title in each of the past two years.

Puck drop for game four is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Jus Jordan Arena in Iroquois Falls.