FOLIGNO ON TORRID SCORING PACE
Despite a slow start to the 2010-11 season, the Sudbury Wolves are
currently tied for 8th place in the Eastern Conference and trail the 7th
place Peterborough Petes by one point. The Wolves do have some
positives to reflect on as they look back on the first 15 games of the
young season.
Wolves’ forward MARCUS FOLIGNO leads his team in scoring with 10 goals,
8 assists for 18 points in 13 games after scoring a hat-trick a an assist on Sunday against the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors. The Buffalo Sabres prospect is on pace for a 50 goal and 100 point season in his final year of OHL
hockey. Last year, Foligno scored 14 goals in 67 games. FOLIGNO, 19,
is currently tied for 26th in league scoring. He sits in sixth place in
goals, sixth in power play goals, second-place in short-handed goals and
leads his team defensively with a +2 plus/minus rating. The 6’3″, 215
lb forward plays both wing and centre positions and is also one of the
Wolves’ best face-off men.
Wolves’ defenceman JOSH MCFADDEN sits in second place in scoring among
OHL Defencemen with 14 points in 15 games. The 19-year-old Guelph
native was obtained in a trade last November from the Mississauga
Majors. The 6′, 200 lb rearguard has blossomed into one of the best
offensive defencemen in the OHL and trails only RYAN MURPHY of the
KITCHENER RANGERS in defencemen scoring. MCFADDEN has 4 goals and 10
assists including one power play goal and one short-handed marker.
Wolves’ forward MIKE LOMAS sits tied for sixth place in “goals-scored”
in the OHL with 9 goals to date. The Burlington native is second in
team scoring with 9 goals and 7 assists for 16 points in 15 games.
LOMAS, 20, was acquired in a trade with the Peterborough Petes just
prior to the start of the 2010 training camp. Last season, Lomas
scored 13 goals in 55 games for the Petes. Lomas’ efforts have been
rewarded with an ‘ASSISTANT CAPTAIN’ designation from Wolves’ Head Coach
Trent Cull.
Wolves’ goaltender ALAIN VALIQUETTE is one of the hardest-working
goaltenders in the OHL and has played the second most minutes among OHL
goaltenders with 715 minutes played. VALIQUETTE, 20, is fourth in
‘saves’ having faced 421 shots to date. The Sudbury native has been
solid in goal and his kept his team in games on most nights.
Wolves’ forwards MATHEW CAMPAGNA and SAM SCHUTT lead the Wolves in
‘rookie’ scoring with four points each. The 16-year-old youngsters
are tied for 28th in OHL Rookie scoring. First-year 19 year old
forwards ANDREY KUCHIN and ROB VISCA have recorded four assists each.
INJURY UPDATE
Wolves’ forward JOHN MCFARLAND returned from injury after missing two
weeks of action. The Florida Panther prospect scored a high-light reel
goal in Mississauga in Sunday’s 7-5 loss to the Majors. MCFARLAND, 18,
also added an assist on Sunday and sits in fifth place in team scoring
with 7 points in 9 games. ALAIN VALIQUETTE was shaken-up in Sunday’s
loss in Mississauga after colliding with teammate John McFarland.
VALIQUETTE is expected to make a full recovery and should be back in net
for the Wolves this weekend. Wolves’ goaltending prospect ALEX LAINO
saw his first career OHL action on the weekend and was solid in
Belleville and Mississauga when he replaced Valiquette. The 6’3″
Sudbury native was acquired by the Wolves from the Majors prior to the
start of the season. Wolves’ first-rounder MATHEW CAMPAGNA missed all
four games last week and is expected to return to the Wolves line-up
Friday night when Sudbury hosts the Plymouth Whalers at 7:30.
SUSPENSION UPDATE
Wolves’ rearguard BEN CHIAROT served a two-game suspension and is now
cleared to play for the Wolves this weekend. JIMMY SHEEHAN, 17, was
called-up as an affiliate player from the St. Catherines Falcons to
fill-in for the Atlanta Thrasher prospect. CHIAROT, 19, was suspended
as a result of an instigator penalty that he took in the final minutes
of Friday night’s game in a 3-1 loss to the Kitchener Rangers.
