Greyhounds struggles continue in Sudbury

They wrapped up weekend action and spoke of the hope they would find an identity, but the Soo Greyhounds struggles continued on Wednesday night.

After falling behind 1-0 in an opening period that saw them outshot 14-3, the Greyhounds proceeded to drop a 3-1 decision to the Sudbury Wolves at the Sudbury Community Arena on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action.

Veteran forward Jaden Peca called the effort in the game “unacceptable.”

“In the first five or six minutes, if we managed the puck a bit better entering their zone, we might have gotten some opportunities,” said Greyhounds Coach John Dean of the start.

“We were hoping as a staff (after the period) that if we go in with a positive mindset and trust that it was bus legs and they would be ready to go,” Dean added.

Trailing 2-1 in the third period, the Greyhounds had an opportunity to tie the game with a 5-on-3 power play for 1:01 but the team couldn’t capitalize.

“That was big,” said Greyhounds forward Ryan Roth. “In those situations, you’ve got to find a way to put the puck in the back of the net.”

“When you play a game like that and you’re not dialed in and not trusting the process, it translates whether it’s five-on-five (or on the power play),” Dean said.

With the regular season winding down, Dean said the players are learning that the games have an increased intensity down the stretch.

“The games have elevated, the pace of the game has elevated and the competitiveness for the puck has elevated,” Dean said. “We have a young team that is starting to figure it out that we need to raise our level and raise our bar.”

Greyhounds goaltender Matthew Villalta made 40 saves for the Greyhounds while Peca had the lone Sault goal.

Nolan Hutcheson opened the scoring for the Wolves midway through the opening period on a nice feed from Quinton Byfield on a two-on-one.

Blake Murray had the game-winner for the Wolves as he beat Villalta on a breakaway in the opening minute of the third period while Adam Ruzicka sealed the win with an empty net goal.

Wolves goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 16 shots.

As the Greyhounds prepare for a pair of weekend games at home, beginning on Saturday night against the Sarnia Sting, the team remains two points behind the Saginaw Spirit atop the OHL’s West Division standings with the Spirit holding a game in hand.

The Greyhounds will take a 40-16-6-1 record into action this weekend.

Saginaw is back in action on Friday night in Guelph against the Storm.

Barrett Hayton and Ethan Taylor both remained out of the Greyhounds lineup due to injuries on Wednesday night.

Sudbury improves to 40-18-3-2 and sits two points ahead of the Niagara IceDogs atop the OHL’s Central Division.

In other action around the OHL on Wednesday night, in Hamilton, Zachary Roy made 34 saves as the Hamilton Bulldogs beat the Kitchener Rangers 5-3. Logan Morrison and Matthew Strome had a goal and an assist for the Bulldogs. Riley Damiani had a pair of goals for Kitchener.

In Flint, Ty Dellandrea had a goal and two assists as the Flint Firebirds beat the Owen Sound Attack 6-4. Kyle Harris added a goal and an assist for the Firebirds. Maksim Sushko scored a pair of goals for Owen Sound.