The Sudbury Anmar Bantam "AAA" Wolves, already topping the NOBHL standings entering weekend action, took a large step forward towards their first regular season championship in three years, taking two of three games on the road in Sault Ste Marie. The Wolves split a pair of games with the Soo Thunder on Saturday, winning 5-3 and losing 5-1 in the nightcap, before blanking the Sooites 3-0 Sunday morning.

The results leave Sudbury with a four point lead over the Thunder, but with no less than three games in hand as the regular season schedule winds down on the first weekend of February. Fresh off a tough series of games at the International Silver Stick last weekend, the Wolves showed few ill effects, jumping out to a 2-0 lead on Saturday just 5:22 in on goals from Danny Desrochers and Brandon Langella.

Dustin Varey sandwiched a tally between a pair of goals from the Soo's Matt Pinder in the middle frame, giving the visitors a 3-2 lead heading to the third. But Sudbury put it away early, scoring the eventual game winner on the power play courtesy of Michael Laidley, with Brenden Pheasant rounding out the Wolves scoring just 42 seconds later.

Pinder rounded out the hat trick in the final few minutes, but Sudbury draws first blood with a 5-3 win. That doesn't seem to sit too well with the homeside in game two as the Thunder rifle three first period goals past Wolves' netminder Thomas Graham and never look back, chalking up a very solid 5-1 victory.

Five different marksmen hit the scoresheet for the Soo as Alex Panco, Alex Walls, Nathan Hebert, Mike Caruso and Ryan Vendramin account for the Thunder offense while Steven Green was the only Sudbury player to solve goaltender Cameron Hackett. More great goaltending in game three as Sudbury puckstopper Joel Horodziejczyk records his fourth shutout of the year, a 3-0 whitewash of the Thunder in the series finale.

Horodziejczyk, who sports an impressive goals against average of 1.70 (second only to Cameron Hackett - 1.45), receives offensive support early as Charlie Venedam and Ryan Erickson vault Sudbury to a 2-0 lead. Michael Laidley adds a little insurance with a short handed marker early in the third as Sudbury improves their record to 7-2-1 against the Soo this year.

Both local teams are on the road next weekend as Sudbury travels to North Bay for a three-game set while the Nickel City Sons visit the Thunder in Sault Ste Marie. Playoff action in the NOBHL begins the weekend of February 13th and 14th when the fourth and fifth place teams meet to kick off the post-season.

The all-Ontario Bantam championships are slated to run from March 22nd through to the 27th in the nation's capital as the Ottawa Jr 67's serve as host team.