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Wolves come up short versus the Greyhounds

The Sudbury Wolves had been on a scoring tear in their three-game win streak but on Vale’s Sudbury Saturday Night game the local juniors couldn’t mine enough goals, losing 3-2 to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
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Sudbury Wolves head coach Dave Matsos is seen in this file photo. The Wolves had been on a scoring tear in their three-game win streak but on Vale’s Sudbury Saturday Night game the local juniors couldn’t mine enough goals, losing 3-2 to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. File photo.

The Sudbury Wolves had been on a scoring tear in their three-game win streak but on Vale’s Sudbury Saturday Night game the local juniors couldn’t mine enough goals, losing 3-2 to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

“You knew after getting 18 goals in three games for a team that struggled to score all year the well was going to go dry at some point,” said Wolves Head Coach David Matsos. “I was hoping it wasn’t tonight. It was typical us at the start, post and out, tonight unfortunately the nets were a little bit smaller than they have been the last three games for us.”

The loss allowed the Greyhounds to come away with the split of the six game Bell Challenge Cup. And it also denied the Wolves their first four-game win streak on the year.

But it was a loss that Matsos could live with.

“I enjoyed coaching these guys tonight, I thought it was a real fun game to be a part of,” said Matsos.

“I saw a team that managed to stay in the game, not withstanding the amount of kills we had to take. I thought it was a really inspired effort by all our guys. We fell short, we didn’t capitalize on some of the chances we had but it certainly wasn’t from a lack of effort tonight, our guys played hard.”


For Mikkel Aagaard, it’s how the team has been fighting for a while now.

“It shows what the team is built of here, nothing really else we can do now, just look forward to the next one. It’s a tough one tonight, but we’re definitely going to come out strong Monday,” said Aagaard.

The first period was one of anticipation, who will score first.

Well nobody did and the period closed out at 0-0 with the shots 11-10 for the Greyhounds.

In the second period Danny Desrochers fed Mikkel Aagaard with beautiful pass that left him in front of the net, but netminder Joseph Raaymakers made the save.

The play came back the other way and Jack Kopacka split the defence with a pass right on the tape of Hayden Verbeek who lifted the backhand top shelf over Zack Bowman.

It was one of those missed chances Matsos had been talking about.

Zack Bowman responded with a key save, as he dove across the crease sticking out the paddle to stop a wrap around attempt.

Then Sudbury was given two penalties for after the whistle antics, giving the Soo a five-on-three power play.

Sudbury had been able to kill of a key two-man advantage the night before, but it’s only a matter of time when you’re down two men.

Gabe Guertler beat Bowman for his 21st of the year giving the Greyhounds a 2-0 lead.

With three minutes remaining Macauley Carson was given a five-minute penalty and game misconduct for a late hit on a Soo player.

While the crowd may not have liked it, it worked out for Sudbury as with 16.4 seconds left in the second Mikkel Aagaard broke out all alone shorthanded and beat Raaymakers five-hole to bring the Wolves back within one.

It was Aagaard’s 19th on the year unassisted.

Aagaard has been on fire since coming over in a trade with Niagara earlier this season.

16 of his 19 goals have come in the 29 games in a Wolves uniform.

“It’s just a new opportunity, get to play with new guys. The coach here trusts me way more than my coach in Niagara. I had a different role in Niagara so come here and my role is a little more loose and I can do more stuff here. It’s a role change for me and it’s always fun coming to play for a new team and had a lot of opportunities,” said Aagaard.

The third period started much like the first did, however midway through the shots began to fire.

The Greyhounds found an insurance marker with just under seven minutes left, Guertler scored his second of the game with the assist going to Soo captain, and New Jersey Devils prospect Blake Speers.

But Sudbury did not give up.

The Wolves got their first power play on the night with just over five minutes left and within seconds Ryan Valentini had his seventh of the season beating a screened Raaymakers.

Down the stretch the Wolves had their chances and the crowd moaned and groaned as a couple shots nearly found the net.

But the Soo held on to win 3-2.

Zack Bowman was sharpe earning second star honours saving 35 of 38.

“He played great, he did what he had too, he looked square, he looked sound. We needed him when we gave up grade A(chances) and the kill, he was there to help us out. Just a joint effort, everybody was working together,” said Matsos.

It puts the coaching staff in a favourable position with both Bowman and Troy Timpano playing some of their best hockey this year.

“They’re both competitive, they both want the net. They’re helping the Sudbury Wolves challenge and push for a playoff spot and that’s what we’ve needed for a long time. Their games are slowly evolving, they’re both playing great,” said Matsos.

Sudbury will have Valentines Day off before heading to Mississauga on Family Day.

The Pack is back home next Friday night against Peterborough.






 


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