BY SCOTT HADDOW
The Sudbury Wolves exploded for five goals in the second period en route to a thorough and convincing 6-3 win over the Mississauga IceDogs in game four of their Eastern Conference quarter-final series Thursday evening at the Sudbury Arena.
The impressive win gives the Wolves a stranglehold on the series as they now lead 3-1.
Sudbury can finish off the IceDogs Sunday in Mississauga. Game time is 7 pm.
Wolves captain Marc Staal busted the game wide open just 2:55 into the second period with a breathtaking end-to-end rush and finished it off by zipping a goal past IceDogs goalie Andrew Loverock with a blistering wrist shot.
The goal broke a 1-1 tie and opened the floodgates for Sudbury.
Nick Foligno, with two goals, Andrew Self, with his fourth of the playoffs and Patrik Lusnak, with his first of the playoffs, also scored during the second period onslaught.
Justin Donati also tallied for Sudbury in the first period to open the scoring for the Wolves.
Wolves goalie Sebastian Dahm was solid, making 32 saves.
Chris Lawrence, Jordan Owens and Stefan Legein replied for Mississauga.
 
Sudbury was firing on all cylinders.
"The feeling and attitude in the (dressing) room was positive," said Wolves head coach and GM Mike Foligno. "The guys really felt good about their chances.
"They also knew what was at stake. They knew we had to come out and take charge of the game. In the second period they elevated their level of play and we took off with the game. The guys are working hard and deserve what accomplishments they've achieved so far."
Staal's rush was a big boost.
"He tried two or three times and finally he connected with that one and then all of a sudden...the floodgates opened," said Foligno. "Staal has been a great leader for us and he's proving his weight in gold."
Staal took advantage of a stunned Mississauga squad for his thrilling goal, which brought thousands of fans out of their seats.
"I picked up the puck behind the net and they were all standing in the neutral zone," said the Wolves captain. "I built up speed and weaved my way through...I shot as hard as I could and I was lucky to get it in. It was a good shot I guess."
Rugged winger Self is living in the moment thanks to his early playoff success.
"I guess I'm just a playoff performer," joked Self. "It's been fun playing with (Donati and Foligno). It was a good team win."
The Wolves know they are in charge of the series, but appear fully aware getting that fourth and final win to wrap things up isn't going to be easy.
"They're a team that's going to come back with everything they have," said  Nick Foligno. "We know that going in there on Sunday.
"It's going to be a battle. The guys are ready and they know we still have a job to do and (we're) a long ways from what we want to do. Everyone is pulling for each other. When a team does that, you're always going to have great success. We're going to keep doing that."
Sudbury is riding the wave created by Staal's superior play.
"When he plays his game it's just unbelievable for everyone else," said Nick Foligno. "He just leads the way. He plows through guys. That goal he scored was unbelievable. We're just so happy to have him on our team."
One-on-one battles did in Mississauga.
"The first three games I was satisfied with our performance, but I thought we lost five or six key battles which probably accounted for perhaps three of their goals," said IceDogs head coach Mike Kelly. "The first three games that wasn't the case. Tonight I was a little disappointed. We just didn't battle in a few key instances and it cost us dearly.
If necessary, game six will be played Monday, April 2 at the Sudbury Arena. Game time will be 7:30 pm. Game seven, if needed, would be played Wednesday, April 4 in Mississauga at 7 pm.
