The Sudbury Wolves took a bite out of the Mississauga Steelheads last night, in their hosting of the division rivals.
In his first game back after winning the 2019 IIHF U20 World Junior Championship for Team Finland, gold medallist Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made a total of 19 saves to earn a shut-out for the Wolves. Luukkonen, Adam Ruzicka and Blake Murray were named first, second and third stars of the gave respectively, with final shots 31-19 in favour of Sudbury.
The Wolves came into Friday's game hungry, but despite outshooting Mississauga 11-4 in the first period, they were unable to net one past LA Kings Prospect, Jacob Ingham.
By the second period the pack was done playing around, Ruzicka scored his first goal as a Wolf to break the game open for Sudbury. Mississauga put the pressure on Lukkonen in response, but the golden goalie stood tall within the pipes and denied each of their 10 shot attempts.
Emmett Serensits extended the Wolves lead in the third, earning his second of the season with a feed from Macauley Carson. The Steelheads managed to squeeze a goal past Lukkonnen in the period, but it was waived off for interference.
With minutes remaining in the match, Steelheads goalie Ingham left the crease to give the team an extra man. Pilon seized the opportunity, flying one into the empty net from the blue line to secure the 3-0 victory.
The Wolves look to continue this win streak Sunday, as they host Central Division rivals the Niagara Ice Dogs. Sudbury will be seeing a familiar face at Sunday's match up, as Jake McGrath returns in new gear having been traded to Niagara earlier this week.
