Wolves need to get back on the attack

Sudbury Wolves assistant captain Nathan Pancel didn’t hide his anger. The 20-year-old forward also didn’t mince words after the Wolves were pounded 8-2 by the visiting Owen Sound Attack on home ice.

Pancel knows the fans expect more. He knows the team has more to give than what it showed Friday night. Pancel wants to see it. Now.

“It’s embarrassing for us,” Pancel said. “We can’t get embarrassed like that. It’s an honour to represent Sudbury. Putting that Wolves’ jersey on, it’s more than just playing a game.
You’re putting the community on your back. Some guys need to realize when they put that jersey on, they need to be willing to fight with everything they got.”

The game was decided in the first period as the Attack came out and blitzed the Wolves and had them on their heels from the opening face-off. An early goal, just two minutes in, by Petrus Palmu took the wind out of the sails for Sudbury. Costly penalties then sunk the team in the first frame as the Attack scored two power play goals, by Justin Brack and Kyle Platzer, to bulge their lead to 3-0.

Sudbury showed life and even some fight in the second period. Forward Danny Desrochers tried to lift his team by taking on the biggest player on the ice in 6-foot-9, 240-pound defenceman Jarrett Meyer in a fight. Desrochers, giving up eight inches of height and 50-pounds of weight, was relentless and mauled Meyer with a barrage of fists. It certainly lifted the crowd as many in attendance rose to their feet and roared in approval as Desrochers was lead to the penalty box.

Unfortunately, the spark ignited in Owen Sound as they broke into the Sudbury zone and worked the puck around allowing Santino Centorame to squeak a long point shot in and make it 4-0 less than a minute later.

The Wolves didn’t go away just yet. A late power play goal in the second period by Jeff Corbett and an early third period power play goal by Pancel cut the lead down to 4-2. Sudbury was officially back in the game. The Attack snuffed out any hope of a comeback with four straight goals in the third period to finish off the rout. Palmu, Platzer, Holden Cook on a penalty shot, and Daniel Milne rounded out the scoring for Owen Sound.

Coupled with recent defeats, the Wolves have slipped into an ugly slump, losing their last six games in a row and dropping to 1-6 on the season, including a 6-1 set back Wednesday against Sault Ste. Marie.

Sudbury head coach Paul Fixter was visibly upset after the game, especially when asked about what has to change in order for the Wolves to climb out of the hole they are digging.

“Oh boy, a lot,” Fixter said. “It’s as tough as I’ve been through in quite a while, so a lot has to change. I’m a little bit lost for words right now in terms of what has to change … everything.”

Fixter echoed comments made by Pancel about team pride. Fixter isn’t seeing enough of it for his liking.

“It starts with pride,” he said. “You put the wolf jersey on, in your own building, show up. We’ve been embarrassed the last two games. It’s discouraging. I’m very frustrated right now because we got beat by a good team and we didn’t give any push back.”

The Wolves have to look collectively in the mirror and play with more passion or it could get worse. The loss left Desrochers with a bitter taste in his mouth. He also didn’t take it lightly on the team.

“We can’t do that to ourselves,” Desrochers said. “We can’t do that to this organization. It’s not us. We need way better than that. Words can’t describe it. We’re not executing and that’s a big problem. We need to find a way. We have to play hard. We have to have heart. We need to jump up to that next level.”

Pancel second the motion put forth by Desrochers about what the team has to do.

“We’re just not working hard,” he said. “It goes from the 20 year olds to the 16 year olds. We can’t be comfortable with just being OK. We need to be amazing game in and game out.”

Attack head coach Greg Ireland likes how his team is progressing. With the win, the Attack boosted its record to 4-1-0-2 and are tied for first in the Midwest Division.

“We have the ability to be a good team and take another step if our players continue to develop,” Ireland said. “They are playing the right way and buying into the game plan and going out and playing hard and executing.”

Fixter expects the team to respond loudly as they hit the road to play the Barrie Colts on Saturday.

“I want to see performance, care, concern, pride and show up,” he said. “I expect our guys to have that fight and determination.”