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.

Seven games in the next 15 days for a team that has lost eight of ten tells you all you need to know about just how important the next few weeks are for a Sudbury Wolves team that will likely not know, until the final weekend of play, who their first round playoff opponents will be.

Of their 19 games remaining on the schedule, the Wolves still have to play the Brampton Steelheads four times. Given that only one point separates the teams that have both played 49 games to date – Sudbury holds the edge, currently – there’s still plenty on the line.

Both of their previous encounters this year have gone to overtime, with the Wolves claiming victories both times on overtime goals from Kieron Walton. Brampton is coming off not only a two win weekend, in a pair of games, but having outscored their opponents 16-3 in those two outings.

A three game winning streak may not be much to write home about – but when it comes to Sudbury matchups at the home of the Flint Firebirds, a win on Friday would break new ground. The Wolves beat Flint in Flint in both the 1990-1991 and 1991-1992 seasons, the first two years these foes would do battle.

The local juniors did not post back to back wins in the city of 80,000 or so until quite recently, returning triumphant on both October 8th (2022) – 4-2 (Alex Pharand and Quentin Musty scored two goals apiece for the visitors) – and December 15th (2023) – 6-4 (David Goyette and Evan Konyen scored twice each).

The 21st edition of the home and home series between the Saginaw Spirit and Sudbury Wolves will take place in a span of just 14 days, beginning Saturday in Michigan (return match is set for Fri., Feb 28th in Sudbury).

Only twice since the series began in 2002-2003 has Sudbury managed to sweep: 2004-2005 and 2015-2016. For those who enjoy a walk down memory lane, consider that the first Sudbury sweep featured key contributions from the likes of: Rafal Martynowski (3G + 4A), Benoit Pouliot (1G + 4A) and defenseman Jonathan D’Aversa (1G + 3A).

The Wolves may still have a ways to go before reaching the .500 mark on the road against Guelph (Sudbury boasts has a record of 32-46-4-1-0 when the Storm are at home), there is no denying that they are trending in the right direction.

Sudbury has claimed victory in three of the past four meetings in Guelph and, dating back to February 6th (2015), the northern boys have left the Sleeman Centre with a “W” in six of the eight instances.

Their 4-3 win to start that sequence featured goals by Ivan Kashtanov, Jacob Harris, Brody Silk and Travis Wood – along with a 43-save performance from goaltender Troy Timpano.