Members of the Sudbury U15 AA Lady Wolves may or may not be aware that the local girls hockey program has never, ever medalled in this particular age bracket and classification, in all the years that OWHA Provincials have been contested.

Either way, their play this year has given rise to cautious optimism with the all-Ontario championships now just over two months away.

Ranked third in the province at the moment, the U15 AA Lady Wolves toppled the #1 ranked Durham West Lightning in the final of the 19th Annual Ottawa Lady Senators Winter Classic, capping off a 6-0 run in the nation's capital earlier this month.

A pair of Friday encounters got the ball rolling as Sudbury edged the Cornwall Lady Royals 2-1 thanks to a two-goal effort from captain Sadie Frantz, improving to 2-0-0 with a 4-2 win over the Waterloo Ravens (#7).

Sophie Gauld broke through with a hat trick, with Ella Sabourin rounding out the scoring for the winners.

Putting themselves in excellent position for quarter-final play, the Lady Wolves blasted the St Catharines Brock Jr Badgers 7-0 to close out preliminary play as Hannah Adler (2), Ella Sabourin (2), Sadie Frantz, Kahlan Judd and Sophie Gauld all found the back of the net in support of goaltender Kloe Rienguette, with the shutout.

Despite their top of the pool standings, the locals still had a tough final eight draw, eliminating the #6 team in Ontario thanks to a 3-1 win over the Stoney Creek Sabres, with Kahlan Judd, Raina Gauthier and Paige Taylor tackling the offense.

An impressive 4-0 win over the host Ottawa Lady Senators provided plenty of momentum heading to the final as Rienguette made it back to back shutouts, with snipes coming courtesy of Sophie Gauld (2), Ella Sabourin and Sadie Frantz.

An absolute classic of a final would see Ella Sabourin break a 2-2 deadlock with under two minutes to play, drilling home her second of the game and lifting Sudbury past Durham West 3-2. Alyssa Bryant opened the scoring for the nickel city girls.

Rounding out the Sudbury U15 AA Lady Wolves roster this year are Keanna Navarro, Lia Gallo, Maelle White, Trinity Cheechoo, May Corson, Daviy Dale, Audrey McKinnon and Ryan Snow.

The locals are set to host the Soo Jr Greyhounds in a pair of exhibition games in Sudbury next weekend before taking to the road two weeks later to close out OWHA regular season play.