It would take a power play goal with a two-man advantage with just over five minutes to play, but in the end, the Sudbury U18 AAA Wolves avoided the mild upset loss Wednesday night, edging the Sudbury U16 AAA Wolves 3-2 at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
Ryan Dazé netted his second goal of the night and also drew an assist on the middle marker from linemate Bryden Shank as the duo who sit two-three in team scoring (behind captain Aleksander Duguay) continue to supply offensive contributions at critical times.
"With Ryan being from North Bay, we've pretty much been linemates all of our lives, almost," noted Shank, a 16 year-old long-time Trapper who is currently completing grade 11 at Ecole Secondaire Algonquin.
"We just seem to find each other really well. When it's not going, we just stop and do a bit of a reset and bring it back the next game."
Throw goaltender Jackson Curran and defenceman Jackson Culin into the mix and you've created some built-in familiarity for a quartet of North Bay talent that are playing in Sudbury for the first time in their minor hockey careers.
"It definitely helps because we drive up together - none of us are staying in Sudbury," said Shank. "It's a good brotherhood."
With 14 goals in league play, Shank sits at the top of the GNML goal scoring parade, dead even with both Dazé and Duguay, bringing his deft touch to the nickel city that he often senses before the drop of the opening face-off.
"It usually starts in warm-ups," said Shank. "If I am feeling it, the shot and the hands are going. If it's going, it's going. If not, you just go out there and work hard, hit some bodies and score with hard working goals."
Jamming home the rebound of a point shot from Ashton Pitawanakwat on the power-play, Drake Taylor drew the U16 AAA Wolves even at 1-1 in the second, with Hudson Goulet striking for a PP goal of his own in the third to complete the scoring for the younger crew.
The U16 Wolves are back in action on Friday, facing the New Liskeard Cubs on the road while the U18 lads head west for a two-game set with the Soo Jr Greyhounds on Saturday and Sunday.
