Greyhounds detonate in dominant period
by Peter Ruicci (Independent Media) | Photo by Bob Davies
Just like a huge factory with three busy shifts, Wednesday’s second period saw the Soo Greyhounds operate at peak capacity and impressive efficiency.
“Phenomenal period,” said head coach John Dean.
The Hounds scored seven times in the middle frame, en route to an 8-2 victory over the Sudbury Wolves in front of 2,020 at Sudbury Community Arena.
“We took it up to another level. We were firing on all cylinders,” said Greyhounds newcomer Jeremy Martin, a hardworking standout who contributed a goal and two assists.
Brady Smith, with his first goals of the season, Marco Mignosa and Jordan Charron notched two goals each for the Hounds, who registered their highest offensive output of 2025-2026.
Smith called it “an identity period” for the Greyhounds. “That’s the standard we have to hold ourselves to. That’s how we have to play for a full 60 minutes every game.”
It came as no surprise when Dean, whose club improved to 9-6-1-0 heading into North Bay on Friday (7 p.m.), called it his club’s best period of hockey this season.
What was the key to making it happen?
“We played with swagger and intent. We really attacked the interior of the O-zone,” the coach answered. “And when we didn’t have the puck, we were relentless to get it back.”
After a scoreless opening frame, the Soo wasted little time in taking control of the game.
Just 1:20 into Period 2, a Wolves turnover in the Hounds zone led to a 2-on-1. Jeremy Martin fired from the top of the right circle and beat netminder Finn Marshall high to the glove side. That was Martin’s fourth of the season and first in a Hounds uniform since being acquired from Flint.
Five minutes later, a neutral zone turnover allowed Travis Hayes to feed Brady Martin for a 2-on-2. Martin made a drop pass to Mignosa, who went left-to-right, before tucking the puck under Marshall’s pads to make it 2-0.
Just 40 seconds later, at 7:16, Jeremy Martin’s beautiful work behind the Sudbury net allowed him to feed the puck in front. Smith redirected it past Marshall on the stick side.
After Keiron Walton got the Wolves on the board with a one-timer that beat Landon Miller at 13:20, Mignosa answered with his eighth goal of the season.
The Vaughan, Ont., native took a feed from Brady Martin and, from a bad angle on the left wing, found a hole under Marshall’s pads. At 14:06, it was 4-1.
Quinn McKenzie, 43 seconds later, circled the Wolves net, wheeled in front and fired from the high slot. His shot, high to the glove side through traffic, brought an end to Marshall’s night.
But not to the Soo’s prosperity.
Like a roulette wheel, the Hounds had the Wolves defenders spinning.
At 18:09, on the power play, Charron banged the rebound of a Ryan Kaczynski shot past Owen Leonard. The man-advantage goal was the Soo’s first in two weeks.
The visitors made it 7-1 just 50 seconds later as Smith took the rebound of a Noah Laus shot and deposited it high glove side. Blake Arrowsmith drew an assist, his first point in a Soo uniform.
Charron, who also had one assist, notched his league-leading 13th early in the final period, before Walton scored his second of the night to cap the scoring.
The loss dropped Sudbury to 4-9-1-0.
McKenzie finished with a goal and an assist for the winners, who held a 43-27 edge in shots. Laus and Brady Martin contributed with two assists each.
“That’s as close to a full 60-minute effort as we’ve had this season,” said Dean. “We liked our game from the drop of the puck.”
Appearing on the Wolves television broadcast, Mignosa spoke of how the Hounds “haven’t been playing to our standard. But this was a total great game for 60 minutes. Hopefully, we can carry it into tomorrow (Thursday).
North Bay carries a 7-7-0-0 record into that contest.
Asked about specific players and lines, Dean raved about the line of Brady Martin skating between Mignosa and Hayes, while lauding the performance of defenceman Chase Reid.
He called Wednesday effort by Jeremy Martin, the winger’s best game since joining the Soo – “This young man is a hockey player,” Dean added – before agreeing it was Smith’s best game of the season.
“It was definitely nice to get the monkey off my back,” Smith said of notching Goals 1 and 2. “It’s a great feeling.”
Jeremy Martin called hard work “one of the biggest factors in my game. I’m really happy the trade to the Soo went through.”
