WHAT A COMEBACK
What started out as a feeling of a long afternoon turned into sheer joy as the Sudbury Wolves overcame an early 4 – 0 deficit to come all the way back and defeat the visiting Windsor Spitfires by a final score of 6 – 5 in overtime.
The Windsor Spitfires flew out of the gate after the opening puck drop – scoring four unanswered goals in the first period including one shorthanded marker and one powerplay goal.
Trailing 4 – 0 at the start of the second period, the Wolves hit the scoreboard at 3:21 minute mark with a goal from ANDREY KUCHIN (MICHAEL SGARBOSSA, JOSH MCFADDEN). The Pack then cut the lead in half with beauty goal from JOSHUA LEIVO (ERIC O’DELL, ALEX RACINO) at the midway point of the middle frame. Just over a minute later the Spitfires responded with a goal before SGARBOSSA (O’DELL, RACINO) netted his 30th goal of the season to close the gap once again.
Early in the third period, the Wolves pulled within one goal to make it 5 – 4 after FRANK CORRADO (SGARBOSSA, KUCHIN) powered one passed Spitfires’ netminder Jack Campbell. The Wolves continued to pile on the pressure in the third period and were coming up empty against Campbell – that is until 12:13 of the final frame when O’DELL (MCFADDEN) scored the tying goal on the powerplay. With plenty of time on the clock, the Wolves continued on the path of the complete comeback which included killing a two-man advantage to Windsor. Despite some great scoring opportunities, nothing was solved in regulation time sending the teams to overtime to find a winner.
The Spitfires were assessed a penalty in the final minute of regulation which allowed the Wolves to begin overtime on the powerplay…and 56 seconds into the overtime period, ERIC O’DELL brought most of the 4657 people in attendance to their feet as the comeback was complete with the Wolves earning the extra point and the defeat of the Windsor Spitfires by a final score of 6 – 5.
Despite a shaky start, Sudbury Wolves netminder ALAIN VALIQUETTE finished the game with 25 saves for the win and Spitfires goalie Jack Campbell made 31 saves in the loss.
NOTES: The Wolves honoured longtime volunteer and 50/50 seller Dorothy Boyer who is retiring after 22 seasons with the Club….Michael Sgarbossa scored his 30th goal of the season….The announced paid attendance was 4657.
The Wolves will return to action on Tuesday, March 1, 2011 when they host the Soo Greyhounds. Game time is 7:35pm and will be sponsored by BELL. The Sudbury Wolves will also honour Sudbury Wolves captain MARCUS FOLIGNO.
