The Sudbury Wolves got two early power play goals and ran with the game from there beating the Oshawa Generals 5-2 to take a 1-0 series lead.
The Generals got off to a great start firing shots on Jake McGrath but the rookie goaltender stood tall and then the Wolves fought back.
“We just had to get out of the first 10 and once we got through that and our nerves settled down a bit, I thought these guys managed the game real well,” said Matsos.
10 minutes in the Wolves found their first playoff goal in nearly three years, off the stick of Alan Lyszczarczyk on the man advantage.
Less than four minutes later with the Wolves back on the power play, David Levin slid a pass through the zone to Dmitry Sokolov and the Russian winger continued his scoring touch sliding the puck five-hole on Jeremy Brodeur.
From there the Wolves coaching staff were very pleased how the mostly inexperienced Wolves handled the lead.
“The guys played hard, they played well. I thought they managed the game extremely well. The first ten minutes they came out hard on us but we knew it was coming, but then I really thought that our guys got through the first ten minutes and Jake really helped us out and then we just started going to work,” said Matsos.
And Matsos knows how key special teams are, an area that can win and lose a series.
“I know they’re going to make adjustments and I don’t expect every game to be like tonight was but I thought our guys did a real good job on the special teams,” said Matsos.
The Wolves led 2-0 after one period despite being outshot 13-11.
The offense continued for the Wolves in the second and a face off that was won by the Generals found the stick of Drake Pilon who was alone in front of the net.
Pilon, who energized his team with a fight in the first period, went backhand past Brodeur.
The Generals looked to get back in the game with a goal by Serron Noel, but the Wolves responded not long after.
Michael Pezzetta, who we mentioned before the playoff series, had played 179 games with the Wolves without seeing the playoffs, got his first with assists to Darian Pilon and Owen Lalonde.
After two it was 4-1 for Sudbury.
Macauley Carson added a goal for Sudbury and Kenny Huether netted a late goal for the Gens finishing off a 5-2 score.
Jake McGrath stopped 33 of 35 shots and Sokolov led the way with a goal and an assist.
It was a very dominant win for the underdog Wolves but Matsos and the Pack have to remember it’s a very long series.
“We are one step closer but it is a seven game series, you have to win four, one doesn’t mean anything that’s just the reality of it, in order to close out the series you got to win the fourth game. It’s not easy, but these guys can sit and enjoy this one for a short time, but we get up tomorrow and you got to hit the reset button, we’re not going to dwell on what happened in 60 minutes in a seven game series,” said Matsos.
The Wolves and Generals are back on the ice Sunday evening, before heading back to Sudbury on Tuesday.
