Nickel Capital Wolves bring their show to Ottawa

BY SCOTT HADDOW

The long list of goals to accomplish by the Sudbury Nickel Capital Wolves for the 2007-08 season is getting shorter but a lot tougher to complete.

The local AAA midget hockey team made the list at the start of the season which included taking first place overall in the regular season standings in the GNML as well as earning the league championship in the playoffs.

Those two items were recently stroked off the list as the club went 31-2-1-0 and finished first overall and then beat Kapuskasing, North Bay and bitter rival Sault Ste. Marie, going 9-1, in the playoffs to become league champs.

Now, the Nickel Capital Wolves are staring down the last two goals on the list, and it's making them growl and howl as they feel they could do it.

On Sunday, the team departs for Ottawa to compete at the Rogers 2008 Central Midget AAA Hockey Championship. There, they will take on six of the best AAA midget squads from across Ontario in attempt to win gold and qualify for the prestigious nationals championships later in April.

(See accompanying sidebar and shaded box for championship details and Sudbury's schedule.)

"It's huge," captain Mathieu Lecours said. "For a lot of us, it was our last chance to beat Sault Ste. Marie and go to provincials. We got it done and we're happy and we can't wait for provincials."

The Nickel Capital Wolves did all the right things against Sault Ste. Marie in the GNML championship, a team that has ousted them from the playoffs the previous four years.

"It means a lot to everyone involved with the organization to beat Sault Ste. Marie and go to the All-Ontario championship," head coach Peter Michelutti Jr. said. "The team did whatever it took to win against Sault Ste. Marie. It was a whole team effort. All the hard work everyone has put in has finally paid off. It's a real accomplishment."
Sudbury now faces competition they know very little about, but feel good about their chances.

"It will be difficult," Michelutti Jr. said. "I believe we can compete with any team there. It will come down to who wants it more and who can play their best game. I've looked into the teams and there's not one that's superior to the rest. There's an equal opportunity for each team...it will be tough hockey."

The Nickel Capital Wolves are full of pep and vinegar and, most importantly, healthy. All season, the club had to deal with extensive injuries to many top players including Deven Stillar( out three months with a broken hand), leading playoff scorer Stefan Herrington, grinder P.J. Taus and Lecours.

The team adapted and feel the ups and downs made them a better team for this time of the season.

"We faced plenty of adversity this season...but the guys fought through," Stillar said. "Now, we're boasting a full and healthy line-up and it will really help. We have six games in five days and it's huge to have a healthy line-up.
Everyone is close on this team and ready to step it up even more. We're focused and ready to lay everything on the line to try and win. We're in the best shape we've been in all season and playing with the most confidence right now."

A real bonus for Sudbury will be the fact four out of their six round-robin games will be played at the Bell Sensplex which features an international-sized ice surface. Sudbury has played and practiced out of Countryside Arena, which also has international-sized ice, all year long.

"We have a lot of speed and hopefully the big ice surface will continue to help us along the way," Michelutti Jr. said. "We definitely have a lot of experience on big ice, but we still have to compete and play the game."

The Nickel Capital Wolves don't plan on going for any sight-seeing tours while in Ottawa. They're there to take care of business and that means earning a provincial championship banner.

"We don't want to be just a participant...we want to compete and win and go to nationals," Lecours said. "I think we have the team to do it and the guys believe they can get it done. It will take everything we have...each game has to be the best game of our lives. We're ready to go."

The coaching staff sees a squad working as one fine unit and one that's ready to make some noise in Ottawa.
"At big championships like this, we need strong goaltending and we've been getting that all season," Michelutti Jr. said. "We also need our best players to be our best players every game...they need to lead and set the tone. We need everyone going on all cylinders but we could also use some breaks. We feel we have the depth and have some of the top players in the province...they know what has to be done. These kids have sacrificed a lot all year to get to this point. They've showed a lot of commitment and they really want to win and it shows."

Despite all the madness of winning the GNML championship and the buzz of going to the provincial dance, the players are still grounded and aware of what others are helping them accomplish.

"The farther the team goes, the more work and preparation the coaching staff has to put in," Stillar said. "Our coaches and managers have taken time away from their families to help us and without them doing that, none of this would be possible. The team appreciates what they do every day."

Sudbury is looking at making it to the semi-finals and letting the hockey Gods take over from there.

"Any team can win this year and we have as good a chance as anyone else," Michelutti Jr. said. "We want to make it into the semi-finals and from there, anything can happen."