Trailing by four goals just under nine minutes into their match against Windsor on Saturday night and trailing 6-2 after just one round of play, the Wolves attempted to stage one of their signature comebacks, falling 11-7 in a game broad. at the WFCU Center.
Two goals and a handball from David Goyette and Kocha Delic, combined with singles from Nathan Villeneuve, Evan Konyen and Quentin Musty, weren’t enough to prevent Sudbury from slipping to 21-13-3-2 and separating themselves from Sarnia. and the City of Roses.
Wolves starter Jakub Vondras allowed three goals on only five shots before being replaced by Nate Krawchuk, who had to yield the net back to Vondras after being hurt in the second period. They combined to make 22 saves.
Sudbury continued to press offensively and cut the deficit to two goals on another two points in the final period, but the hosts were able to counterattack on each occasion and ultimately managed to put things out of the game with an empty-net goal and a field goal. Strength play due.
AJ Spellacy scored a hat-trick and Pasquale Zito scored two goals for the host Spitfires as both players benefited from five-point outings. Ryan Abraham and Valentin Zhugin also scored two goals apiece and Colton Smith and Jack Nesbitt added a goal apiece as Windsor advanced. forward to 13-22-3-1.
Joey Costanzo stopped 31 shots for the winners.
The Wolves will try to adjust things for their visit to Barrie next Thursday at 7 p. m. m. , before returning home to face the Erie Otters on Friday at 7:05 p. m. m.
After proving their ability to erase an early deficit in a comeback win over the Kitchener Rangers last weekend, the Wolves found themselves in an even bigger hole in the first generation on Saturday, when Abraham scored just 3:04 into the game and then again. at 16:50
Zhugin continued his scoring streak with 6:12 to bring Vondras to the bench, but Krawchuk also beat the game shortly after taking over the box, with Smith doing the honors with 8:34.
Villeneuve gave the pack some life when he settled Costanzo with a backhand feint at 9:17, before Zito responded at 12:10. Delic then exchanged a McCallum pass with a single shot from the slot with 48 seconds left in a frantic first period, but Spellacy used a penalty kick to make up for the home side’s four-goal finish in the quarter.
Goyette, who tucked a puck under Costanzo’s pad at 11:31 of the second, and Konyen, who buried his own rebound at 12:08, looked to keep the locals’ comeback hopes alive, but Spellacy halted that momentum, at least temporarily, with his power-play tally at 18:30.
Goyette remained undaunted and the Sudbury captain scored his 24th goal of the year just 38 seconds from the third, only for Spellacy to score from a free kick at 10:14.
Musty added his 19th of the year in the same forced game at 11:44, but it’s as close as it gets for Wolves with Nesbitt and Zhugin keeping an empty net and Zito with one of his force-play goals. Clean, rounded stuff ready for winners.
Delic got one goal back for Sudbury with just six seconds to play.
Sudbury 7, Sarnia 3
There’s a lot of Great Sudbury in the Sudbury Wolves’ win on Friday night.
Hanmer’s Zacharie Giroux scored his first two goals in a Wolves uniform and Chelmsford’s Alex Pharand scored twice as Wolves blazed their way south with a 7-3 win over Sarnia Sting at Progressive Auto Sales Arena.
Villeneuve, Goyette and Chase Coughlan also scored, and Vondras made 24 saves in his return from the IIHF World Junior Championship as Sudbury cemented his grip on the top spot in the OHL Eastern Conference.
Kai Schwindt, twice, and Carter Kostuch scored goals and Karsen Chartier and Nick Surzycia combined to make 30 saves for Sarnia, which fell to 15-23-2-0 with its third straight loss.
bleeson@postmedia. com
twitter.com/ben_leeson
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.
365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, AT M4W 3L4
© 2024 The Sarnia Observer, a department of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution or transmission is strictly prohibited.
This uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads) and allows us to analyze our traffic. Learn more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.