By Jim Stefanko
Friday night's home opener for the Sudbury Wolves was something special.
I'm a very passionate fan. So much so that I finally have my appointment approaching with tattoo artist — and Wolves season ticket-holder — Joel Marin (Studio Cardinal in Val Caron) to get the Wolves logo tattooed on my right arm, alongside a portrait of my favourite Maple Leaf of all time, Felix Potvin, and the Leafs logo itself.
Yes, I love hockey.
Though I don't feel I have the means at the time to purchase a season ticket at the beginning of the year, I can usually get 20 bucks together to watch every Wolves home game on Friday nights.
Friday, I could not stop thinking about the opening of the 2016/2017 season. The events leading up to this game — the draft, the trades, the new ownership — had me more hopeful for a Wolves season than I have been for a few years now.
I started off the afternoon ready and excited to go pick up my new Lyszczarczyk jersey, but got very disappointed when the lettering got screwed up during the printing process.
"It will be another week or so," they said. Well, now I don't have my jersey for the home opener. This sucks. I had planned to borrow my buddy's older black alternate jersey, just so I could be wearing something, but along came a different idea.
I kept thinking about how excited I was about the new ownership of the team. The choices that Dario Zulich has made already just make for a better fan experience coming to a game. I trust that Zulich and his group made this decision because they are passionate about this team, and about our city.
“In Zulich We Trust.” So that’s what I scribbled on a plain white t-shirt just minutes prior to walking out the door.
I walked up to the arena to the band Sea Perry jamming under the inflatable wolf outside the arena with about 100 people watching and dancing — something else I can never recall happening at a home opener. People were smiling at me, and taking pictures of the shirt. I got the sense that many agreed with how I felt.
I walked inside, up the main stairs, and down to my seat in Section 5. Two rows below Joel (the tattoo artist I mentioned earlier). And as the pre-introduction video played — showcasing former Wolves MacKenzie, Fisher and the Foligno brothers — I once again became excited about the talent we have on our team this season.
The game started and we looked good. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous when we went down two-zip early in the first. But Lyszczarczyk and Levin looked hungry. The Valentini and Pilon boys line was flying, and Bowman was getting sharper and sharper between the pipes.
BOOM! Lyszczarczyk buries one. The new CP Rail horn shakes the house and the whole building loses its mind!
The fire has started.
BOOM! Levin with another and we're all squared up.
McCauley Carson streaks down the wing and BOOM! the sickest backhand roof goal I have seen put us up 3-2.
At this point I look to my right, and who do I see? New owner Dario Zulich screaming and high-fiving with the fans in his regular-person-type seat. Something we would never have seen with management of the past.
When you get the feeling the owner of the team is just as excited to be watching the game as you are, it gives you a new perspective on the team as a whole. This is what I've wanted to see for years.
After a tying goal by Oshawa, veteran defenceman Aiden Jamieson connected with Darian Pilon with about four seconds left for a sweet point shot-tip-goal to put us up 4-3 after two periods. The building went insane.
When the third period started, Zulich was back in his seat with the fans. Enjoying every second of what we were all experiencing. With some unbelievable saves by Bowman to keep us in the lead, the game ended with five shattering blasts from the CP Rail horn and high fives all around from our owner in the pit with the rest of us. Solidifying my hope and excitement for the season and years to come.
It has been really hard to love the Wolves these past few years, but with the changes that have been put into place — from on the ice up to the owner’s box — I think we finally have something special again.
And I couldn't be more excited.
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