Lizee leads Skyhawks over Jr. Wolves

Trent Lizee scored 4 times and added 1 assist to lead the North Bay Skyhawks to a 5-2 victory over the Sudbury Jr. Wolves Wednesday night in Greater Sudbury.

Kyle Radigan scored the other Skyhawks goal and added 3 assists. Will Laporte added three helpers while Andrew Glasser chipped in with a pair of assists. Skyhawks goalie Jeff Michael got the win making 19 stops.

Chris Kangas and Zach McGillis had the goals for the Jr. Wolves.

Radigan scored the game winner early in the 3rd period to break a 2-2 tie before Lizee added his 3rd of the game on the power play midway through the final period. Lizee capped his impressive 4-goal offensive performance with an empty-netter in the final minute of the game.

Skyhawks head coach Ian Swalucynski felt his team started poorly but after reading the team the riot act between the 1st and 2nd periods, his team got better as the game progressed.

The line of Kody Carnevale, Will Laporte and Trent Lizee was effective most of the night and Swalucynski said Lizee not only filled the net but played well both in both ends of the rink.

“He worked hard and crashed the net,” said Swalucynski.

“He blocked shots and played an all-around game. That’s what we need from a 20-year-old leader.”

The win was a bit of revenge as the Skyhawks had dropped their last two at the hands of the Jr. Wolves, including the loss that halted the Skyhawks impressive 12 game winning streak to start the season.

Swalucynski said that didn’t factor into the win on this night.

“Our motivation was that they are creeping closer to us in the standings,” Swalucynski said about his club that improved to 16-4-1 on the year and with the win pulled 10 points ahead of the Jr. Wolves in the NOJHL East Division Standings.

The Skyhawks played without Brad Hummel but welcomed the return of sniper Solomon McCann back to the lineup. The Prince George, B.C. native had missed the past two weeks of action nursing a shoulder injury. Swalucynski worked McCann into the lineup slowly as he played about 75 percent of his normal ice time and was held off the score sheet.