BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
Battle Report
Home-sweet-home no more.
The Sudbury Wolves hit the highway this
weekend for their first major road trip of the 2005-06
season.
The Wolves will play three games in three
nights as they face Plymouth on Friday, Saginaw on Saturday and
Sarnia on Sunday.
Head coach and GM Mike Foligno wants his
troops to fuel up the afterburners and use speed, speed, speed
to kill their opponents.
"The main thing is for us to keep bringing
the speed that we have shown in the last couple of games," said
Foligno. "We had a lot of scoring opportunities because of our
speed. That has to continue on the road. It's a possession game
now. The more we have possession of the puck, the
more opportunities we'll have to frustrate
our opponents and score goals."
Foligno wants the sharp play of his defence
to continue as well.
"We need our defence to keep playing solid
hockey," said Foligno. "They have to move the puck up fast,
join the rush and generate speed through the neutral zone for
us. We have three tough opponents and we have to maintain our
discipline and be ready from the start and work as a
team."
Winger Alex Eaton has been playing with a lot
of vigour lately.
"Alex is a leader on this team," said
Foligno. "Alex might not score a lot, but he shows every night
and fights for his teammates. That's why we made him an
assistant captain last game. He's committed, plays with a lot
of high energy and is a real important part of this
team."
Defenceman Jonathan D'Aversa has stepped up
his game recently.
"Jonathan's picking up from where he left off
in the playoffs last season," said Foligno. "We have utilized
him more as an offensive player and he's exploring what he can
do. He's been exciting to watch because he's getting shots
through, making plays and joining the rush."
Rookie forward Matt Dias has also been
playing well, and sits in the Top-10 in OHL rookie
scoring.
"Matt believes in himself and it's amazing
the confidence he has developed," said Foligno. "He takes pride
in the offensive part of the game. He has a good work ethic and
he's catching on really quick."
Wolves stats pack
Top-five leading scorers - games played,
goals, assists, points, +/- rating.
Marc Staal 4-3-5-8 0
Nick Foligno 5-3-4-7 +3
Jonathan D'Aversa 5-1-6-7 +5
Kevin Baker 5-1-4-5 -3
Matt Dias 5-1-4-5 +2
Goaltending records - games played, wins,
losses, overtime losses, goals-against-average, save
percentage
Kevin Beech 5-2-3-0, 4.57 GAA, .855
Chris Abbey 1-0-0-0, 7.50 GAA, .727
Enemy Line
The Sudbury Wolves face off against the
Plymouth Whalers, Saginaw Spirit and Sarnia Sting this weekend,
with the Whalers first up tonight. All three games are on the
road.
Here's a quick peek at the three Wolves foes
this weekend.
Plymouth
The Whalers have struggled out of the gate,
but they're hoping to turn things around against the
Wolves.
Head coach and GM Mike Vellucci expects a
battle against the Wolves tonight.
"It will definitely be a tough game," said
Vellucci. "They have Ben Pouliot back and Mike Foligno is a
good coach. We will have our hands full with the Wolves."
Vellucci likes his team despite the slow
start, which saw them go 1-2-1 in their first four games.
"On paper, we look good," said Vellucci. "We
just haven't played well so far. We've out chanced our
opponents, but have been unable to put the puck in the net. We
need a good weekend to get back on track. I want this team to
compete for the division championship. We need more consistent
goal scoring. If we do that, we'll be all right."
The Whalers are counting on players such as
Dan Collins, John Vigilante and James Neal to lead the charge
for the 2005-06 season.
"Collins, Neal and Vigilante are impact
players for us," said Vellucci. "Collins is a great point
producer for us, Neal was our 33rd overall pick this year, so
we're expecting leadership from him and Vigilante is our
captain and puts up good numbers."
Saginaw
The Spirit have turned things around this
season, winning two of their first five games and featuring
several players in the OHL top scorers.
The game is the first time the Wolves play
former teammate Ryan McDonough, who was traded in the summer.
McDonough scored one goal and eight points in his first five
games with Saginaw.
Sarnia
The Sting is another team in transition, but
building for a bright future. The Sting features Sudbury-born
player Scott Restoule, but he's questionable for the game as
he's still recovering from a shoulder injury. The Sting's top
draft choice from this past draft, Mark Katic, second overall,
has impressed so far, scoring three points in his first four
games.
