Call it what you want, but with teams below them creeping up the standings, it was as close to a must-win game as it gets for the Sudbury Wolves.
The Wolves were able to hold off their division rival Barrie Colts beating them 4-2, snapping a five game losing streak.
“This was kind of a monkey on our back for a while now so, we’ll feel good about it, not for long because we got to reset ourselves tomorrow and have a good detailed practice and we’re back at it Sunday,” said head coach David Matsos.
With the streak off it eases a bit of pressure for the Wolves.
“The pressures for these young guys they’re mounted and they’re big. I liked the last six periods we played, we didn’t get the result in North Bay, however there was still a lot of great things that we did that game,” said Matsos.
Dmitry Sokolov scored two goals on the night to give him 44 on the season, he was also held without a goal for the five game losing streak.
His coach knows what he has meant to this team all year.
“Got Dmitry back on track again which is a huge thing for this team, I mean it seems like he’s kind of the pulse of the team, when he scores we get our chance to win a game and tonight he was on,” said Matsos.
Matsos didn’t have to say anything to the Russian winger before the game.
“I think it was pretty evident, I can’t say for sure, but how many times has Dmitry gone six games without scoring,” said Matsos.
Sokolov was happy with the two but wanted a bit more as he spoke through his translator, David Levin.
“It feels great but he could have scored more and thanks to his line mates for helping him,” said Sokolov.
Sokolov showed something that is evident on how much his game has improved.
On his second goal, he had a shot in the slot, but waited because it wasn’t the best angle.
He passed it back to the point to Aiden Jamieson who slid a pass to Kyle Capobianco all while that happened Sokolov snuck to the front of the net.
Capobianco fired a wrist shot pass to the front and Sokolov tipped it in with one hand.
“Minnesota helped him to be more patient and hold the puck more, see more people around him and the ice around him too,” said Sokolov.
For Sokolov it was nice to get in the scoring column, but it was a better feeling to get the win and the mood has improved in the dressing room.
“Everyone is positive and everyone is hoping we’re going to make it,” said Sokolov.
The Wolves spent most of the second period on the penalty kill, and had to kill off three five-on-three advantages.
Sudbury gave up just one goal on the power play forcing Barrie to go one for eight.
“When you look at it and you break down that second period for the amount that we were on the kill and shorthanded, we gave up zero grade A scoring chances, not one. We got beat from the outside once, I mean that says a lot about these guys and defending properly and staying on top of pucks,” said Matsos.
With the win Sudbury takes the season series 7-1 over Barrie.
Sudbury now has 55 points on the season and sit seventh in the Eastern Conference.
Niagara and Ottawa both won on the evening and North Bay was idle. So Ottawa sits in sixth with 57 points, Sudbury is two behind and one up on Niagara for 8th.
North Bay drops three points back of Sudbury and two out of a playoff spot.
Matsos says even at this point in the season, he can’t scoreboard watch.
“I’m worried about us, I can’t dictate what’s going to happen away from our team. Our fate is in our own hands,” said Matsos.
Sudbury scored three times in the first period, two by Sokolov and one by Macauley Carson, his 27th.
Carson now has 22 more goals than last year, his rookie season.
Michael Pezzetta made it 4-0 in the second with his 10th of the year which chased goaltender Ruan Badenhorst.
Joey Keane scored for Barrie late in the second and then Lucas Chiodo got one in the third for a 4-2 final.
Sudbury outshot Barrie 32-21 in the game and will face Sault Ste. Marie on Sunday.
It’s the final game of the Bell Challenge Cup which Sudbury leads in points 7-5
