The Sudbury Wolves celebrated another big win at the Sudbury Community Arena Friday, following a high-energy matchup against Highway 17 rivals, the North Bay Battalion.
Sudbury got the ball rolling in Friday's game, but it would ultimately be a heavy-handed performance in the second period that would carry them to an 8-2 final.
This is the Wolves' second win in a row since star-centre Quinton Byfield returned home with a pocket of gold from the World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic.
Sudbury Wolves' recent-steal Matej Pekar was named first star for contributing five assists in the 60-minute affair, followed by Byfield, with two goals and three assists.
Chase Stillman wasted no time cracking open the scoreboard Friday, scoring his first goal of the night and 10th of the season 42 seconds into play, with assists from Byfield and Pekar.
It would be quite sometime before goaltender Cameron Lamour or Sudbury's Mitchell Weeks let another slip past the pipes.
The pack moved in the second period up one, with shots on goal 9-4 in their favour.
Byfield broke through the stalemate 20 seconds into the second period, delivering his 24th goal of the season with help from David Levin and Pekar.
Battalion's Brandon Coe responded a little over four minutes later, getting North Bay on the board with help from rookie Liam Arnsby and Braden Henderson. In what would ultimately prove to be one step forward, two steps back for the visitors.
Byfield returned to net at 7:04 to deliver what would be considered the game-winning goal with an assist by Pekar.
He was followed to net less than a minute and a half later by Stillman, who delivered the night's insurance goal with help from Blake Murray.
There was just no stopping the pack.
Levin delivered his 18th goal of the season with assistance by Pekar and Adam Samuelsson at 18:03, just seconds before Samuelsson scored the first goal of his OHL career with help from Owen Gilhula and Byfield.
Sudbury drifted into the final frame up five, after outshooting their visitors 19-11 in the period.
Wolves' Macauley Carson opened up the third period eight minutes into play with assists from Stillman and Liam Ross, building Sudbury's lead to six. But North Bay wasn't going down without a fight.
Battalion's Alex Christopoulos got the team their second goal of the evening at 14:07, with help from Simon Rose.
Sudbury got ahold of the puck two minutes later, allowing Isaak Phillips to close out the evening with one final goal assisted by Byfield and Pekar.
The Battalion outshot their hosts 21-5 in the final frame in an attempt to break the pack's lead, and 36-33 in the game overall.
The match was called at an 8-2 final for Sudbury.
Sudbury is first in the Central Division, second in the Eastern Conference and fourth in the league overall, with 21 wins and 18 losses.
On Sunday, the Wolves aim to secure their fourth victory this season against division rivals, the Mississauga Steelheads.
