The OHL schedule makers should be patting themselves on the back as they gave the Sudbury Wolves faithful a juicy game to take in on the first day of the season.
There will be story lines galore when the Sudbury Wolves face the Oshawa Generals. The most important one, Oshawa knocked Sudbury out of the first round of the playoffs in six very close games.
It has the Wolves players chomping to get back at Oshawa.
“(They were) really good games and I’m really looking forward to that,” said Israeili import David Levin.
“We got a little taste of what playoff atmosphere is and what the fans bring to us and the energy that’s created in this building,” added defenceman Reagan O’Grady, who I picked as one of the Wolves to watch this season. “But we have some unfinished business. It’s tough losing in the first round of the playoffs, but we can start off our season on the right note and get a win at home against the team that put us out.
“We’re going to be ready come puck drop.”
Story line number two, how will the Wolves rookies perform under the bright lights in their first OHL action?
“We got a lot of young guys in this locker room,” O’Grady said. “There’s going to be some nerves that set in, but at the end of the day it’s a hockey game. Everyone’s first has come and gone with exhibition, but now the real work starts.”
Story line number three, Cory Stillman is searching for is first OHL win and that feeds right into story line number four.
“Opening night is a big night, not only for us, but obviously to get Coach Stilly’s(Stillman) first win. Nothing like beating his son on opening night,” said O’Grady.
Yes, Wolves head coach Cory Stillman was in Sudbury last season watching his son Riley Stillman eliminate the Wolves from the first round.
He’s now behind the other bench and only one family member can come out on top. Game time at the Sudbury Arena is 7 p.m.
This one’s shaping up to be a doozy.
Wolves forward Michael Pezzetta will sit out, serving the second of a two game suspension he got in the playoffs last season.
The Wolves will host the North Bay Battalion on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m.
Head to Sudbury.com following the games this season for a full recap.
