BY SCOTT
HADDOW
Who are these guys?
This question started circulating around the NOJHL last week
when the Kal Tire Sudbury Junior Wolves came flying out of the
gates and took the league by force.
The Junior Wolves trounced their competition in their first four games. They took their first loss this past Saturday to the Soo Indians by a score of 6-5 in overtime.
With a record of 4-0-0-1, Sudbury shares first overall with
nine points.
The Junior Wolves won the NOJHL Championship last season and
came one goal away from making the national final.
The club lost a host of veteran players, including top
scorer Brian McGarry and head coach Darryl Moxam. It was
supposed to be a rebuilding year for the franchise, but the new
faces and the old faces have come together quickly to establish
the Junior Wolves as a top contender.
The team is made up of players who come from a wide variety
of levels of hockey.
There are seven returning vets, five players from the Great
North Midget League (GNML), a former OHLer and seven players
from the Sudbury high school ranks among others on the squad.
Thanks to their determination, this mixed bag of players has
made life difficult for opposing teams.
"We lost a lot of talent from last season," said captain
Matt Chiupka. "We have talent this year, but the players have a
lot more heart, which makes up for our losses. The guys have
been working hard and together."
The team has grasped the concept of the new rules quickly,
which has paid immediate dividends.
"We have got a lot of breaks," said Faganely. "Our power
play has been working very well and our penalty killing has
been really good. Right now, our specialty teams are doing it
for us. It's a big part of our success."
Ryan Mathes has become a vital cog. The big winger played 46
games last season with the Junior Wolves, scoring just six
goals and 10 points. In five games so far this season, Mathes
has potted three goals and four points.
"He's a big kid who's responding well to more ice time,"
said Faganely. "I like to use him in front of the net and he's
been on our first and second power play lines. He comes to play
every night."
The high school players have been a real bonus, stepping in
and gobbling up big minutes and playing even bigger roles.
There's six former Lasalle Lancers - Rob McKnight, Lucas
Faganely, Chris Pontes, Mike Andrighetti, Troy Bertrand and
Shane Neely - on the squad. The other former high school player
is Jeff Brouse, who played for Confederation.
"They have brought a lot of speed," said Faganely. "Troy,
Shane and Mike make up our third line...against the Soo
Indians, they scored three of our five goals and kept us in
that game. They came on big for us and picked up their game for
us as we were missing two key players (Scott Restoule and
Brendan Biedermann).
Sudbury takes on the Sault Ste. Marie Thunderbirds tonight at the McClelland Arena in Copper Cliff. Game time is 7:30 pm. The Thunderbirds went 2-2 in their first four games and sit in fifth place.
