Wolves and Huskies face off (game recap)

Wolves forward JK Gill drives to the Huskies net during second period action. Photo by Chris Dawson.

If hockey fans in North Bay were hungry for Major Junior hockey before Saturday night; then they would be starving now. Over 2000 fans took in the action at Memorial Gardens and witnessed the Rouyn Noranda Huskies and Sudbury Wolves skate to a 5-5 tie. It was a game that went back and forth from the opening face off and could have gone either way right up until the final buzzer.

The first ten minutes of the game seemed to be a bit of a feeling out process as neither team was able to create many chances against their unfamiliar opponents. The scoring opened when Huskies forward Pierre-Luc Champagne beat Wolves starter Micheal Swick to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead. The Wolves started to press once they fell behind but for a while Huskies goaltender Milan Pucholt looked unbeatable coming up with big save after big save. With just over a minute left in the first the Wolves would solve Pucholt and tie the game when Jesse Hebscher put the puck into the back of the net. The score would remain tied heading into the first intermission.

The game opened up quite a bit in the second period and the Wolves took the lead just over four minutes in. Zach McCullough took a feed from Geoff Guimond and deposited the puck in the back of the net, but the lead would be short lived. Less then three minutes after McCullough gave the Wolves the lead, Alex Emond would take a feed from Tyler Hawes and put the puck past Swick to tie the game 2-2. Only 22 seconds had elapsed since the Emmond goal and the Wolves would find themselves back on top. JK Gill gave Sudbury a 3-2 lead at 7:21 as he crashed the net and shoveled the puck past Pucholt. Gill, who was named Player of the Game for the Wolves, talked afterwards about his performance.

“It feels real good to get the player of the game award. It is nice to know that sometimes hard work pays off. Hopefully I can keep this up through the entire season,” said Gill.

The scoring in the second would continue as the Huskies would tie the game at the 16:35 mark when Champagne would score his second unassisted goal of the game. However the Wolves would not be satisfied taking a 3-3 tie into the third and would retake the lead just over a minute later. Matt Dias would score at 17:51 when he combined with Justin Dicks and Patrik Lusnak to give the Wolves a 4-3 lead heading into the final frame.

Five minutes into the third period the Wolves would take their first two goal lead of the game. Jared Staal would feed Marcus Foligno on a two on one and the Wolves led 5-3. It would have seemed that a two goal lead would have been insurmountable the way the game had gone; but the Huskies were not going to roll over and play dead. At the 7:58 mark of the period the Huskies would cut the lead to one when Hawes took a pass from Edmond and scored a highlight reel goal. Finally with just over five minutes to play the Huskies would tie the game for the final time when Guy Lepine would let a shot go which found its way to the back of the net and we were tied 5-5.

Both teams did have chances late to take the lead as Pierre-Luc Giguerre would miss an open net for the Huskies. Dias would miss for the Wolves as he walked in alone with only 14 seconds left but was not able to find the back of the net. Following the game Wolves head coach Mike Foligno reminisced on his past trips to North Bay.

“I remember playing here as a kid and I remember how great the fans were then. I think they may have been the reason we would lose all the time. It was just great to be a part of this tonight,” said Foligno.

Foligno also wanted to congratulate the city of North Bay for their Hockeyville victory.

“I really wish I could be here for it,” said Foligno in reference the upcoming NHL hockey game.

“I really want to congratulate the city for winning the Hockeyville competition. It was great being welcome here in North Bay tonight and not coming in as the visitor.”

The coach also talked about his young kids playing well; referring to Gill, Staal, and Kyle Tarini.

“The kids are realizing that when they do what they are told they will get results. When you do what you are told you are going to get playing time. When they are doing the right things they are going to get playing time.”

Finally the coach commented on returning veteran Matt Dias. Dias just came back from training camp with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and his coach expects big things from him this year.

“You know not many guys get an opportunity like he did. He came back with a great attitude; he realizes how close he actually is to being able to play at that level. He’s going to provide great leadership this year. He’s looked at as one of our leaders and the coach’s are going to step back and let him lead this team. We are going to give him that responsibility,” said Foligno.