Greyhounds Edge Wolves in Thrilling Third-Period Comeback -

Photo Credit: Freeze Frame Photos

On Saturday, January 4th, the Soo U18 Greyhounds hosted the Sudbury U16 Wolves at the John Rhodes Centre in an exciting game of Great Northern U18 Hockey League (GNU18HL) action. The Greyhounds, sitting in fifth place with a 10-5-3-1 record, faced off against the seventh-place Wolves, who came into the game with a 6-12-0-1 mark. The contest proved to be a thrilling back-and-forth affair, with the Greyhounds emerging victorious by a 3-2 scoreline.

The game began with a bang as the Greyhounds struck first early in the first period. Just 2:46 into the frame, defenseman Dylan Rousselle found the back of the net for his eighth goal of the season, giving the Soo a 1-0 lead. The Greyhounds maintained their advantage throughout the period, with both teams showing a disciplined defensive effort that kept the scoreline unchanged heading into the second.

The middle frame was a scoreless one, with both goaltenders – Sebastien Brassard for the Greyhounds and Tyson McMahon for the Wolves – playing key roles in keeping their respective teams in the game. Despite several good chances for both sides, neither team could break through, and the game remained 1-0 in favor of the Greyhounds as the teams headed into the final period.

The Wolves came out strong in the third, and it didn’t take long for them to tie the game. Just 2:43 into the period, Sudbury’s Adrien Potvin capitalized on a power play opportunity, firing his second goal of the season past Brassard to make it 1-1. The Wolves’ equalizer gave them a boost, and the game was now anyone’s for the taking.

However, the Greyhounds responded quickly. At 3:38 of the third, Jackson Thornton netted the Soo’s go-ahead goal to give them a 2-1 lead. Thornton’s goal came from a strong individual effort, as he managed to slip the puck past McMahon to put the Greyhounds back in front.

But Sudbury wasn’t done yet. Just a few minutes later, at 5:40 of the third, Kerian McCoy scored his sixth goal of the season to pull the Wolves even at 2-2. The game was now deadlocked, with both teams fighting for the crucial game-winner.

The final moments of the game proved to be tense, but it was the Greyhounds who would ultimately find the decisive goal. At 15:54, forward Gavin Killoran fired his 12th goal of the season to give the Soo a 3-2 lead. The Greyhounds held on for the remainder of the game, successfully killing off any remaining chances the Wolves had to equalize, securing a hard-fought victory.

With the win, the Soo U18 Greyhounds improved to a 11-5-3-1 record, while the Sudbury U16 Wolves dropped to 6-13-0-1. The Wolves will look to bounce back on Sunday, January 5th, when they take on the Soo U16 Greyhounds at the Northern Community Centre at 10:30 a.m.

For the Greyhounds, this win marked an important step forward as they continue to push for a higher position in the standings. With their next game coming up soon, the team will look to build on this momentum as they head into the heart of their season.