BY JASON THOMPSON
It wasn't pretty, but the Sudbury Wolves
squeaked out out a 4-3 shootout win last night against the
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
 |
| name="valign"
top >
Wolves defenceman Adam McQuaid
dolls out a little physical punishment and slams a
Greyhounds player into the boards as the puck trickles
away. |
For Sudbury, Nick Foligno, Matt Dias and
Kevin Baker provided the offence. The trio each tallied again
during the shootout against Greyhounds netminder Kyle Gajewski,
sending the 5,000 strong in attendance into a frenzy.
"It was a great battle for our fans to
watch," said Wolves bench boss Mike Foligno after the
game. "Our leaders led and our muckers mucked."
Wolves goalie Kevin Beech played a solid game
in net, making the big saves and rising to the occasion when
his team needed him turn his game up a couple notches.
Sudbury opened the scoring in the first, only
to have the Greyhounds counter with a quick goal of their own.
The Wolves put themselves ahead with another tally in the
second but the Greyhounds once again closed the gap with a goal
of their own.
The game was quick paced as defensive
mistakes on both sides leading odd-man rushes and breakaways.
With the game tied 3-3 late in third, a number of players were
upset at the quality scoring chances they were manufacturing
without finding the back of the net.
"It's quick turnovers and down the
other way you go, any team that has the quickest players and
the fastest skaters they take advantage of the countering
plays," said Foligno.
"You really have to do a good job in not
allowing a team like the Sudbury Wolves those opportunities and
we have to do a good job not allowing out opponents those
opportunities."
When overtime failed to yield a winner, the
teams played a shootout to determine the victor. Allowing the
first two Greyhound shooters, Scott Restoule and Tyler Kennedy,
to score, Beech stood his ground, denying the third shooter,
Ryan Kitchen.
That save would be all the Sudbury boys
needed as one by one, Matt Dias, Nick Foligno and Kevin Baker
tickled the twine behind Gajewski, giving Sudbury the
win.
Sudbury's next game is Friday evening
when former Wolves player Ryan McDonough returns to the Sudbury
Arena with the Saginaw Spirit.
