Struggling Wolves take U.S. teams to hockey school

The mountains of Vermont provided a splash of sunshine for the Sudbury Major Peewee AAA Wolves earlier this month.

The team, looking to get out from under their 1-8-0 NOHL (Northern Ontario AAA Hockey League) record, captured the Jay Peak Hockey Tournament, while garnering some family bragging rights along the way.

The Wolves opened against a tough Boston Jr Terriers squad, falling 3-2 as A.J. Favot and Giordano Biondi bulged the twine for Sudbury, with Deric Rivet enjoying a solid outing between the pipes.
The second encounter would provide for a first-ever setting of the “Heaphy Cup,” as cousins Jack (Sudbury Wolves, son of Pat Heaphy) and Chance (Worcester Jr Sharks, son of Shawn Heaphy), went toe to toe.

In the end, the Canucks prevailed, edging their U.S. counterparts 1-0 as Biondi netted the only goal of the game. Ryan Teddy got the shutout.

Their confidence boosted, Sudbury exploded offensively in their third game, thumping the North Shore Shamrocks 6-1, as Kurtis Wennerstrom powered the attack with a two-goal effort.

Mitchel Martin, Isabella Becker, Max Villano and Kendyn Mashinter joined Wennerstrom on the scoresheet for the winners, with Rivet picking up his second win of the tournament in net.

A 2-1 record in round-robin play would bring Sudbury back to where they started, facing the Jr Terriers once again, this time with gold medals on the line.

There would be no denying the Northern Ontario crew the second time around as Dario Beljo and Giordano Biondi scored to give the Wolves a thrilling 2-1 win.

Ryan Teddy came up with several key saves to help guide his team to victory, as the SMHA team returned home from a memorable weekend that included several team bonding activities, including tram rides, a waterpark visit and team meals, well organized by manager Dave Lammi.

The 2014-2015 edition of the Sudbury Major Peewee AAA Wolves features Ryan Teddy, Deric Rivet, Max Mahaffy, Isabella Becker, Kurtis Wennerstrom, Mitchel Martin, Jack Heaphy, Dario Beljo, Graeme Siren, AJ Favot, Jean Giguere, Max Villano, Chase Lammi, Giordano Biondi, Kendyn Mashinter, coaches Steve Dombek, Jules Paquette and Cole Julien, trainer Nick Dombek and manager Dave Lammi.