The Sudbury Wolves drifted further into the rearview in the Central Division race, losing 3-1 to their division rivals from Mississauga on Sunday.
Two weeks removed from a back and forth 4-3 shootout win over the Steelheads, the Wolves were flat this time around, getting out-shot by a two to one ratio, while never holding the lead at any point.
The Steelheads jumped on the Wolves early, with captain Michael McLeod potting his 12th goal of the season just 52 seconds into the game.
Liam Dunda evened the score for the Wolves at the seven-minute mark of the first but that was the closest the Wolves would come to securing any points.
Jacob Cascagnette put the home team on top early in the second period and the Steelheads essentially cruised to victory after that. Spencer Watson scored into the empty net with 45 seconds to play and sealed the victory for Mississauga.
The Wolves were outshot 46-23 on the day, and perhaps more concerning, were outshot 19-6 in the final period when they desperately needed a goal.
Netminder Mackenzie Savard made his first start in goal for the Wolves and was the lone bright spot on the afternoon, turning aside 43 of the 45 shots he faced.
With the loss, the Wolves fall seven points behind the Steelheads for top spot in the Central, and Sudbury has now lost four straight games, earning just a single point in that stretch.
In addition to losing ground in the race for first in the Central, the Wolves now find them precariously close to the outside of the playoffs altogether, sitting just four points up on the 9th place Niagara Ice Dogs.
Sudbury will be back on home ice for a pair of back to back games Friday and Saturday of this week, with the Sarnia Sting and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds coming to town.
