As part of my role as team statistician for the Sudbury Wolves, my job description includes the preparation of weekly media notes, featuring various tidbits of information regarding upcoming games.

While these notes have generally been confined to circulating among media types and club officials, it seemed likely that fans of the local OHL team might also have an interest in the odds and ends that I might come across on a weekly basis.

Given their physical proximity, it may surprise some folks that the Sudbury Wolves have opened their home schedule opposite a team for North Bay only five times since the 1972-1973 campaign – the fifth coming this Friday night.

The only such encounter that was billed as a battle of the Battalion and the Wolves came on September 27th (2019), when the homeside had no less than ten different players find the back of the net in an 11-3 win over North Bay, with captain Macauley Carson leading the charge with a four-point effort. Prior to that, the Wolves had faced North Bay three times as the Centennials, posting a record of 2-1 in games played between 1983 and 1993.

After dropping a 3-1 decision to the Barrie Colts last September to kick things off at the Sudbury Arena, the local juniors are looking to return to what has been generally a fairly positive trend, emerging victorious in four of their past six home openers. The Wolves are still above the .500 mark in these inaugural encounters, sitting at 26-24-1-1-0 despite the setback of 2024.

The September 19th curtain-riser marks the earliest the Wolves have opened their season at home in 15 years. September 18th (2009): goals from Peter Hermenegildo, John McFarland and Daniel Maggio were not quite enough as Mike Cazzola netted the game-winning tally with less than four minutes to play, lifting the Erie Otters to a 4-3 road triumph.

Locals who have travelled to Niagara Falls are well aware that driving through Mississauga is likely the best route to travel – toll-free. When it comes to opening their OHL road schedules against the Niagara Ice Dogs, history also dictates a stop in Mississauga – the original home of this franchise.

Facing the Dogs in just their third year in the league, Sudbury lost 6-4 on September 29th (2000) at the Hershey Centre, a game in which former Wolf Brian McGrattan paced Mississauga with a two goal effort. Jason Spezza added a goal and four assists for the winners with Sudbury countering with strikes from Dennis Wideman, T.J. Warkus, Fedor Fedorov and Derek MacKenzie.

The names from just five years ago (September 19th, 2019) might be more well-known to younger Wolves fans as Philip Tomasino scored twice, helping Niagara double the nickel city lads 6-3 as current NHLers Quinton Byfield (2) and Jack Thompson handled the offense for coach Cory Stillman and company.

Speaking of bench bosses, sophomore head coach Scott Barney needs only eight wins to his credit this season to work his way into the all-time top ten with the Wolves. The 32 victories his team registered one year ago leave him chasing down the likes of Paul Fixter (40) and David Matsos (48) before a real jump occurs leading to Jerry Toppazzini (72), Andy Laing (93) and Cory Stillman (94).

For the record, the top of the charts belongs to Mike Foligno at 185, with Ken MacKenzie about a half-season shy at 167.