The Wolves went 4-17 in their first 21 games and sat last in the league. In the last four games, the Wolves have battled their way to a 2-2 record, which includes victories over two top clubs in Belleville and Kitchener.
“October was a nightmare for the team as we went 0-11,” Sudbury GM Blaine Smith said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Smith said he is seeing signs of improvement, though, particularly on defence and in the net.
That 2-2 record aside, things won't get easier for the Wolves this weekend action as they take on Central Division leaders, the North Bay Battalion, in a home-and-home series. Sudbury is in North Bay on Thursday and return for the second game at Sudbury Arena on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
A tight and tidy ship is needed to set sail for any hopes for wins against North Bay.
“North Bay is disciplined and come at you in waves,” Smith said. “Our team needs to be stingy and not take penalties. North Bay is also tough and physical, so we have to match that. The players must play a team game.”
It’s no secret the Wolves have to cut down their goals against. They have allowed 103 against, the most in the league — not a stat any team can cheer about. The offence has been putting up solid numbers when it comes to shots on opposing goalies recently, but the goals themselves still continue to elude the players.
“We have out-shot teams, but not out-scored them,” Smith said. “We need to raise the shooting percentages and score more goals.”
Besides their challenges with both scoring goals and defending against them, injuries also continue to wreak havoc.
Five players are questionable for the weekend action. Co-captain Brody Silk is day-to-day with a lower body injury. Assistant captain Jeff Corbett is day-to-day with an upper body injury.
Grinder David Zeppieri is day-to-day with an upper body injury. And forwards Michael Pezzetta and Brook Hiddink are in limbo as they are being evaluated for concussion-like symptoms.
Enemy lines
Sizing up the Battalion
This time last year, the Battalion were a middle of the pack squad. They weren't on anyone’s radar.
But the team caught fire in the second half of the season and surged all the way to the league final before bowing out to Guelph in a hard-fought series.
The Battalion have a 10-5-3-1 record in 19 games, and are as solid at home as on the road, with five wins on both sides. North Bay also has the seventh best power play (22.5 percent) and fifth best penalty kill (83.5 percent).
Their 256 penalty minutes are the fourth lowest in the Eastern Conference.
What does it mean?
The Battalion are having another classic season under the leadership of Stan Butler. Forward Nick Paul has been nothing short of outstanding with 16 goals and 24 points in 19 games to lead the way on the ice.
