A stick to the face that drew blood on David Levin seemed to turn him into a man possessed, to score beautiful goals on Friday night.
Levin scored his first career hat-trick, and the Wolves doubled up on Flint 6-3, snapping a five-game losing streak.
“We had six goals which was good, and we deserved them. And for David Levin this was the best game I’ve seen him play all year,” Head Coach, Cory Stillman, said.
Levin said he would take a stick to the face every game if it meant a hat-trick, but was happy that some other players got going as well as the Wolves scored more than four goals for the first time since December 1.
“Just felt really amazing, felt amazing for me to see everyone playing really well. The goalie played really well and exactly how we won the game too, everyone was happy, fans were happy, coaches and managers, so that makes me happy,” said Levin.
“It’s fun when you play the system the way you want to play, and you eliminate chances it’s fun to watch us play,” said Stillman.
While Stillman was pleased with the goals from Levin he was happier with a play in the second period where the Firebirds had a three-on-one and after Cole Candella took a man, it was Levin skating back to break the play up.
Macauley Carson was one of the players who got going scoring his first goal in 19 games and adding two assists.
“Felt good to finally score, when the games pile up like that, I don’t know it was like 20 or something, and I’m not really too used to that big of a slump. So, it’s kind of like you just get in your own head, which is tough not to do. Shane(Bulitka) made a good play, (Evan)Krassey had a nice hit before that and Shane poked it to me so it was kind of a gift but I think I needed that to kind of get on a roll here,” said Carson.
The Sudbury Wolves took the lead one minute into the game as Levin tried to pass the puck across to Kirill Nizhnikov and it hit a Flint stick and beat goalie Luke Cavallin five-hole.
The Wolves never surrendered the lead.
Carson scored on a break-away, and Nizhnikov banked a shot of Cavallin for his 9th of the year.
C.J. Clarke was able to get one back for Flint, but it was one of the better first periods for the Wolves in a while.
“A good start, we had 18 shots in the first period, and early in the game we got pucks deep, and we put pucks at the net and good things are going to happen when you do that,” said Stillman.
“Coach told us to shoot the pucks right away when we started the game, and they weren’t ready for that at all, and the goalie was shaking, we just knew we had to shoot,” said Levin.
In the second Riley McCourt got the Firebirds within one, but then David Levin took over with two goals in a span of just over a minute that need to be watched to be appreciated.
Even Levin said he won’t watch them…yet.
“I’m just focused on my game tomorrow and will help to have a couple more tomorrow and watch everything together at the end of the week,” said Levin.
Shane Bulitka scored in the third to give the Wolves a 6-2 lead, and Jake Durham responded for Flint.
Wolves goalie Marshall Frappier made just his second start in the last 11 Wolves games and was solid, stopping 31 of 34 shots.
“Marshall played well, he got an opportunity, he hasn’t played a lot of home games. He played very well, comfortable and for him, it starts in practice, he’s been getting better, he’s been working, and for us, our practice skills and habits will go over to the game,” said Stillman.
It was Frappier’s first win since October.
The win was big to kick off a weekend where the Wolves head to London tomorrow and Sarnia Sunday to face Michael Pezzetta and the Sting.
The question is now, who hits the former captain?
“Me,” Carson said laughing. “No if I hit him we might have to fight so we’ll see what happens.”
