BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
The Manitoulin Wild shocked the Sudbury Northern Wolves last night with a 3-2 win.
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Sudbury was sluggish throughout the game and paid dearly as the Wild's goalie Matt George kicked out 38 of 40 shots Sudbury fired his way.
Kyle Mason led the charge for the Wild scoring the game winning goal and picking up an assist.
For Sudbury the loss was obviously tough to swallow as the Wild were a full 28 points behind Sudbury in NOJHL standings.
Sudbury head coach Jason Stos was bitter with his team's lack of effort.
"We came out sleeping again," said Stos. "Manitoulin played a great game. Their goalie played extremely well. We got beat all over the ice. We did play with intensity and we didn't hit."
Stos is getting tired with his team not coming out to play hard every game.
"We have won some games this year we shouldn't have," said Stos. "We got caught all night with two on one and three on one breaks. With that kind of play, losing is bound to happen."
The Wild opened the scoring early in the first period when Brent Assinewai pounced on a defensive miscue by Sudbury in their own zone and wired a slap shot past Sudbury's goalie Paul Pidutti at 4:37 to make it 1-0.
Sudbury battled back when Chuck Battah corralled a loose puck along the boards and fired a slap shot of his own past the Wild's goalie George to even the contest.
Manitoulin regained the lead in the second period when Josh Bigras skated in alone on Pidutti, deked him out and dumped the puck in the net at 8:14 to make it 2-1.
Sudbury tied the game moments later when Christian Cundari found a loose puck in a goal-mouth scramble and whipped it by George at 18:47 to make it 2-2.
The Wild sealed the game in the third period when Mason skated in alone on Pidutti, pulled a deke and tucked the puck past him at 4:52 to make it 3-2.
George threw up a wall and stoned Sudbury shooters the rest of the way.
The Northern Wolves next home game is Wednesday, Dec. 3, against the Soo Thunderbirds. Game time is 7:30 pm.
Snap Shots
- Sudbury native and Northern Wolves defenceman Scott Lavigne will get a chance to strut his stuff this Friday in the OHL. He will be in the line up with the Toronto St. Michael's Majors when they square off against the Sudbury Wolves at the Sudbury Arena. Game time is 7:30 pm. Lavigne is also scheduled to play against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds on Sunday. Lavigne has played 22 games and recorded one goal and seven assists.
