Quinton Byfield came up clutch for the Sudbury Wolves Friday night (Nov. 25), scoring the game tying goal in the final minutes and then the shootout winner as the Wolves topped the visiting Saginaw Spirit 3-2.
“It’s definitely a big relief, haven’t scored in a couple games and getting the tying goal there, it definitely relieves a lot of pressure and it was just a good feeling,” said Byfield.
Byfield’s eighth of the season was his first goal since Oct. 26 and it came with the net empty and 1:08 left to play in the third period.
The tying goal got him mobbed by teammates.
“I just got stitches in my face and they got the gloves in there so it was kind of hurting but it’s just a good feeling though,” said Byfield.
In the shootout he was the fourth to go and made no mistake going backhand upstairs over goalie Tristan Lennox.
“I lost it a little bit but I was trying to go backhand originally and when I lost it I saw he poke-checked so I just tried to move it to my backhand quick and get it elevated and it went in, so it was good,” said Byfield.
The game itself ran at a slow pace, with just 50 combined shots between the teams.
“Try to talk to the defense and the forwards, play the puck as much as I can. Just follow the game and see where the players without the puck go also so those are things that help me,” said goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
Luukkonen stopped 22 of 24 for his twelfth win of the season and picked up his second shootout win, something he is still getting used to.
“For me its just try to make the player make the first move and just follow the puck and don’t sell yourself in the shootout, that’s the biggest thing for me,” said Luukkonen.
With the win, the Wolves stop a mini two game slide and rebound after a tough 7-4 loss where Luukkonen let in six.
“It motivates you to be ready for the next game and get the win from the next game. I think its for the team too, same thing, we have to prove ourselves again and get the win after two losses,” said Luukkonen.
Damien Giroux of the Spirit, continued his dominance over his hometown team as the Hanmer product scored his tenth goal of the season in the first period; giving him five points in five career games against Sudbury.
It was Giroux's first loss against the Wolves and oddly he did not get a chance in the shootout for Saginaw.
Blake Murray played well and got his first goal since a hat-trick against North Bay a week ago and was also a plus-two on the night.
With the score tied at 1-1 after the first period, the action slowed right down in the second.
There were only four penalties taken the entire game.
Cole Perfetti scored his tenth of the season early into the third period it looked like the dominance of the Wolves would continue.
Heading into this, game Sudbury was 2-6 against Saginaw in the last five years.
But Byfield’s late goal propelled Sudbury to a win, a night before Mississauga comes to town in a big divisional clash.
Sudbury is now tied with the Steelheads for the Central Division lead, along with Niagara who loaded up with talent in a recent trade with Kingston.
The win for Sudbury also puts them in a three way tie for third in the Eastern Conference.
Sudbury and Mississauga play Saturday at 4:05 p.m.
