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Wolves first in East with Sudbury’s best record in more than 20 years

Players speak to better mindset, work ethic and team spirit this season
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A veteran blue-liner like Kyle Capobianco has experienced some pretty poor starts in the last few years, so the team’s strong start is particularly meaningful for him and his fellow vets. Photo: Terry Wilson / OHL Images

The Sudbury Wolves have found themselves in unfamiliar territory, but this new Pack doesn’t feel out of place one bit.

The Wolves were off to their best 10-game start since the 2000/2001 season and now after 11 games it’s quite possibly their best start in over 20 years.

It’s impressive and something the Wolves can be proud of, but the Wolves coaching staff knows it’s a long season.

“I think it certainly means something, but we don’t put a lot of stock in it because we know as quickly as you get a pat on the back for the start you had, when you hit your turbulence it goes the other way just as quick,” said Head Coach Dave Matsos. “We just want to be humble. We like the start we had, we do, the coaching staff is proud of the way these guys have come to work every day and stay professional. We just want to keep it that way and go about our business.”

“I think it’s a pretty cool thing to hear that because it gives us more confidence as a team,” said Zach Wilkie, the Illinois native who forms part of the Pack’s D-corps. “Knowing that we have such a great start and our fans are behind us this year, it gives us more confidence and it builds us up. 

“I think with that, we keep it on the back burner, it’s something cool but we just got to keep playing the way we’re playing and keep working hard on and off the ice.”

A veteran blue-liner like Kyle Capobianco has experienced some pretty poor starts in the last few years, so the team’s strong start is particularly meaningful for him and his fellow vets. 

“I think the guys that have been for a little while like me and Michael Pezzetta, that have struggled through these times, I think hearing that is just awesome,” said Capobianco.

Through 10 games this season, the Wolves were 6-3-1, in 2000/2001, they were 6-4.

In that year, the Wolves lost their seventh game and their record dropped to 6-5, but this version of the team won their seventh on Wednesday in Sault Ste. Marie and now sit at 7-3-1.

The OHL’s website only features season schedules dating back to 1997/1998. In the three seasons, prior to 2000/2001, the Wolves started 4-7, 3-7-1 and 4-6-1 respectively.

Sudbury had some down years in 1995-1997, but their record in 1994/1995 was 43-17-6, so it would be fair to guess they had a pretty decent start and would also be fair to say that this is the best start for the Sudbury Wolves in at least the past 20 years.

So what has changed? How does a team that has found themselves at the bottom of the Eastern Conference the last two seasons, look at the standings and see themselves in first?

“I love our work ethic, our consistency and I love the fact that we’re leading the game early,” said Matsos.

The Sudbury Wolves have scored first in seven of their first 11 games.

But it’s not just getting on the board first, it’s this team’s ability to hold the lead. Sudbury is 7-0 when leading after the second period.

“Drake Berehowsky said it best: Good hockey teams don’t change the way they play no matter what the score margin is and it’s true,” Matsos said. “I think we’re taking the approach that every game or every third period we go into that we’re up, we want to approach it as a 0-0 hockey game.”

For a relative newcomer like Zach Wilkie, who came over in a trade last season with Niagara, the change in the team’s work ethic is night and day.

“Day in and day out, we’re coming in and working hard,” he said. “We’re having fun as a team, we’re all getting along, which is the best part. But the hard work for sure.”

For a player who’s seen the down side, Capobianco said he believes mindset has a lot to do with the team’s recent fortunes.

“I think we’re going in with a winning mind set every game,” he said. “I think we have a mindset that we can beat any team and we’re almost getting a confidence or a cockiness to us and I think that helps us.”

The bottom line is, the OHL season is 68 games, this is just 11, so there’s a long way to go and the question will be how the team can continue to stay hot.

“It’s work ethic and staying sharp mentally, taking care of your body physically off the ice,” Matsos said. “These guys are good hockey players, they really are — 68 games, plus school, plus billeting, plus being away from your family, it’s taxing on these kids. 

“Things have gone well to start, but we also know that this league is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Do we like where we are right now, yeah. I think if you have a good start to the season, you can create a bit of separation. 

“We’re also not fools. We know there’s going to be a bit of turbulence, we just have to monitor and maintenance that turbulence and keep the losing streaks to a minimum.”

The Wolves have a chance to continue that hot start as they welcome Peterborough to town tonight at 7 p.m.

Then on Sunday, the Ottawa 67’s are in Sudbury for an afternoon contest.


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