A team that will look for former depth players to embrace bigger roles this season, the Greater Sudbury Cubs must have been encouraged with the performances of Eidan Macartney and Matthew Vahramian on Thursday night.

Macartney scored twice and Vahramian turned aside all 15 shots he faced as the Cubs began their defence of a second straight NOJHL title with a tidy 4-0 win over the Timmins Rock at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.

Veteran defenceman Spencer Horgan was also a standout with a goal and an assist and rookie Cameron Vehkala added a single marker of his own for the Cubs, who welcomed a reported crowd of 381 on Thursday for their first home game since they became back-to-back league champions at the end of April.

Forward Kaedyn Long, a late-season addition from the jun

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