Two years ago, the then Nickel City U13 AAA Sons captured silver at the All-Ontario Championships in Thunder Bay.

With much of that same core of talent on hand this year in Thornhill, the team is going to need to play some of their best hockey ever just to advance to the final four on Sunday.

The Sudbury U15 AAA Wolves are sporting a record of 2-2 at the moment with a pair of encounters remaining on Saturday against the London Jr Knights (10:00 a.m.) and the Toronto Jr Canadiens (6:00 p.m.).

Both opponents are currently sitting at 3-1, deadlocked in a three-way tie for first place in the seven team event with the Markham Majors.

The Majors blanked the Wolves 3-0 on Wednesday as Lucas Cranney, Ronan Quinn and Antonio Schiavo scored for the winners, with Dylan Sack earning the shutout.

The locals bounced back later in the day but needed a three goal third period outburst to put away the Thunder Bay Kings 4-1. Cooper Niquet, Dacey Dupuis, Owen Angus and Nicholas Christakos hit the scoresheet for the NOHA champions while Gavin Godick replied in a losing cause.

Sudbury dropped a 3-2 heartbreaker to the Barrie Colts on Thursday as Corey Coe snapped a 2-2 tie with under two minutes to play, giving the Colts the win. Miles Reilly and Ryder Davis also scored for Barrie while Dacey Dupuis and Tayden Smith countered for the Wolves.

The SMHA reps climbed back to .500 again on Friday, trimming the Ottawa Jr 67's 6-5 in a wild affair.

Dacey Dupuis not only powered his team to the win with a six point effort (4 goals and 2 assists), but scored two of those goals and earned an assist on a Cooper Niquet goal in between as Sudbury overcame a 5-3 deficit with under seven minutes to play.

Niquet opened the scoring in the game for the Wolves while Christian Gimpoli (2), Kyson McMillan, Grady Brosseau and Innis Robinson found the back of the net for Ottawa.

"We'll have to move the puck really well and bring our energy," noted defenseman Tayden Smith at the team's final practice before leaving for Thornhill.

"It's a long week. Our season has been going good but we're not thriving in tournaments as much as we would like."

The level of play certainlyhas not surprised fellow blueliner Malik Jakubo, also a 15 year-old grade nine student at St Charles College. "Everybody will be gunning for gold so we have to bring that intensity, match it and go above," he said.

"It's going to be fast."

For as much as this has long been acknowledged as a talented age group on a local level, perpetual growth is critical as the crew looks forward to their OHL draft year in 2025-2026.

"Our coaches have helped us evolve into a more structured style of play, especially with hitting," said Smith. "As a defenceman, it's learning about when you have time and space."

"At the beginning of my AAA hockey, I was very cautious, scared to go past the red line," admitted Jakubo. "Over the years, my coaches have taught me that it's okay to go into their zone."

"It's helped me develop."

Still, the good-sized rearguard who is also an accomplished box lacrosse player knows where his bread his buttered when it comes to his primary role on the team.

"I am a stay at home defenceman but will rush the puck every once in a while," said Jakubo. "You have to know how to play your position really well to match up with these guys. They're very talented."

With both Warner Bain and Bradley Huffman sidelined with injuries, the U15 AAA Wolves have called up defencemen Vince Tarini and Brayden Baronnette as well as forward Preston Hebert for the week-long tournament.

Rounding out the Sudbury roster are Jackson Mead, Merik Maillet, Ty Belanger, Jaxsin Chatwell, Ethan Farquarson, Ty Imbeau, Tucker Newton, Alex Proulx and Ryan Thompson.