Sudbury Showdown

Over the last week or so, the Sudbury Wolves have begun to forge their identity.

After a slow start, the Wolves have caught fire recently, going 3-0-0-1 in their last four games.
 

They will look to continue the streak tonight, when they host their bitter rivals, the Barrie Colts. Game time at the Sudbury Arena is 7:30 pm.
 

Barrie, was the last team to beat Sudbury in regulation play, when they dumped the locals 3-1 two Fridays ago.
Obviously, Sudbury is looking for a different result.
 

"The key with Barrie is we have to keep it a tight game," said head coach and GM Mike Foligno. "You can't open up the game against them because...they have a lot of scoring ability. You can't let them off the hook when it comes to taking the body and not focusing on the defensive zone. We're fairly healthy and we need to build on our defensive strengths...and get a few more goals."
 

The Wolves are finding a foundation to stand on and make a stand against the opposition.
 

"We've started to identify what kind of a team we are," said the coach. "Our strengths are starting to show through. The team is taking pride on making it hard on opponents."
 

The Wolves defence corps, which boasts some of the OHL's best talents, has started to work as a forceful unit and helped Sudbury get into contention.
 

"They're big and physical and they have been giving us a gritty effort every night," said Foligno. "It's not just the defence...our forwards are doing a good job in helping out defensively. We're within striking distance of Barrie, who's at the top of the standings. We weren't there a couple of weeks ago or last week. We want to keep moving up the ladder."
 

The Wolves have received a lot of solid minutes from defender Jonathan D'Aversa, who has four goals and 13 points in his first 14 games.
 

"Jonathan brings us a solid two-way game," said Foligno. "We rely on Jonathan for quarterbacking the power play on the one unit. He has experience and great ability. He wants to be the go-to-guy. It's nice to have a player that hungry and it's important to the team's success."
 

Forward Devin DiDiomete has also shaken off a slow start. After recording just one goal in his first 11 games, DiDiomete has sprung to life, scoring three goals in his last three games.
 

"He's really starting to play at a high level," said Foligno. "When he plays his best hockey, he's involved."
 

In other Wolves news...
 

Defenceman Marc Staal was named to Team OHL, which will compete in the Canada/Russia series. It's his second time on the team. The two-game series will be played in Sarnia (Nov. 23) and Oshawa (Nov. 27).
 

Defenceman Tyler Arps is day-to-day with an injury, while forward Akim Aliu still has two games left in his five-game suspension. He returns Sunday against Brampton.

Enemy Lines 

The Barrie Colts are continuing to prove the theory that playing good, sound defensive hockey will always result in wins.

The Colts romp into town tonight to take on the Sudbury Wolves. Game time is 7:30 pm. Barrie played Mississauga last night, but stats were unavailable at press time.
 

Prior to the Mississauga game, Barrie had no less than 15 players with a plus rating. Bryan Little, Matthieu Methot and Ryan Gottschalk led with +7 marks.
 

The commitment to defence has made the Colts' brass pleased.
 

"We've been playing sound five-on-five hockey," said head coach Marty Williamson. "Other than our penalty killing, which is an area of concern, the group is playing solid. Guys are buying and working the system. When you get a group playing like that, it gives me, the coach, confidence that I can play a lot of different guys in different situations."
 

Barrie has been getting plenty of decent miles out of rookie import Tomas Marcinko, who they picked 55th overall in the 2005 CHL Import Draft.
 

Marcinko stands six-foot-four and weighs 210-pounds. In his first 11 games, he had six goals, 12 points and many admirers.
 

"What we like...is that he's so responsible defensively," said the coach. "He cares and works hard. The offence will keep coming...and get better. He's still going through a transition."
 

The Colts will play three games in three nights, and it will be challenging.
 

"We have to play a good road game in Sudbury...a disciplined style," said Williamson. "It seems Sudbury has turned the corner in the last three or four games, so we're expecting a tough game. The last time we played them up there (a 3-1 Barrie win), I felt it could have gone either way. We got a bounce...there wasn't much difference between us."
 

The Colts have also been getting great hockey out of five-year veteran and Timmins native Hunter Tremblay. He had eight goals and 16 points in his first 12 games.
 

"You always know what you're going to get," said Williamson. "He's the only five-year player with the Colts in our history. He's like having another coach on the bench...he understands the game really well. He gives his all every night. It was a no-brainer he was going to be one of our overage players this season."
 

Barrie was tied for first overall in the OHL, with London, as of Thursday morning. In their first 12 games, they went 9-2-0-1.
 

"It's a bit of a surprise...we're still trying to find our identity, but we've been fortunate so far," said Williamson.