Wolves on Eastern edge
Their record remains below the .500 mark and they are teetering on the edge of a playoff spot yet the Sudbury Wolves are not far from fourth place in the Eastern Conference of the Ontario Hockey League.
After missing the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, the Wolves are in the running this time around.
With 18 games to play in the 2016-2017 regular season, Sudbury is in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with 50 points from a record of 22-24-6.
And while the Wolves are only five points up on the Ottawa 67’s, who hold the eighth-and-final playoff spot in the Eastern market, Sudbury is within six points of the fourth-place Kingston Frontenacs.
To be sure, second-year general manager Barclay Branch (with the help of president Blaine Smith) has done a nice repair job to the interior of the Wolves roster by patching holes via trades that have brought in serviceable skaters such as forwards Ryan Valentini and C.J. Yakimowicz and defensemen Aiden Jamieson and Patrick Sanvido.
WOLVES AT SOO
Sudbury heads to the Soo for a Wednesday night game against the Greyhounds and the Wolves will bring twin terror forwards Darian Pilon and Drake Pilon with them.
The free-agent rookies from Sault Ste. Marie have fit in well in Sudbury by bringing in a combination of speed, spunk and agitation to the Wolves.
Thus far, Darian has 8 goals, 11 assists, 19 points and 81 penalty minutes while Drake has 3 goals, 6 assists, 9 points and 77 penalty minutes.
SUPERHERO WOLVES
For the second year in a row the Wolves will don special Superhero-themed jerseys in support of children’s charities.
On Sunday when Sudbury plays host to the Niagara IceDogs in a 2 p.m. matinee, the Wolves will wear Batman-style jerseys — which will be auctioned off throughout the game with proceeds going to the North Eastern Ontario Kids Foundation.
The Wolves became the first team in the Canadian Hockey League to wear superhero-themed jerseys when they donned them last season.
“We are very pleased to continue the tradition and to be working with NEO Kids as the benefactor of our second annual Superhero game,” said Wolves vice president of marketing and development Andrew Dale.
“Superheroes are such a strong symbol for kids battling illness,” Dale noted. “Often our players are looked up to by kids as superheroes and role models in the community.”
The NEO Kids Foundation describes itself as being “dedicated to building awareness for children’s care needs and raising funds for services, equipment and research to help our youngest and most vulnerable patients. A healthy beginning builds a healthy life.”
PHOTO: Players Kyle Capobianco and Michael Pezzetta show off the Batman-style jerseys that the Wolves will wear this Sunday.