Soo Greyhounds took on Sarnia Sting in the Ontario Hockey League on Friday evening and came away with a 2:1 victory. The hosts had been struggling for consistency, sitting sixth in the standings with just one win from two games. The Sting arrived having won their opening match, carrying that momentum into Sudbury.
And here's the thing — we'd given the home side a 67 per cent probability before kickoff. To be fair, it wasn't blind faith. The Greyhounds had shown they could score in bunches, their last outing a 5:4 thriller against Saginaw Spirit. Sometimes a narrow win is worth more than a comfortable one when confidence is fragile.
The result keeps the hosts in the hunt despite their early-season stumble. They now sit level on points with several sides above them, though the table still has room to reshape. By then, the Sting's unbeaten run had come to an end, and fourth place no longer felt quite so secure.
Both teams have been involved in high-scoring affairs recently. The Greyhounds lost three of four against Kitchener Rangers in April, and the Sting have seen their games turn on fine margins — 4:3 wins, 3:7 defeats, the odd five-goal thriller. This one stayed close when it could have blown open.
What matters now is the direction. The hosts have turned a corner, if only marginally. One point separates them from sides that started the season stronger. The Sting will want to respond, but the heat has taken the sting out of their perfect start.
