Wild ends skid in 'ugly win'
By Bill Rea

Piero Petti was on the fly for the Wild in the third period of Sunday's 6-4 victory over the Deseronto Thunder.

It wasn't a victory that would put a smile on the coach's face, but a win is a win and in the case of the King Wild, it ended their four-game losing streak.

The Wild bested the Deseronto Thunder 6-4 Sunday in a game which they led 3-1 at one point, only to find themselves trailing 4-3 late in the second period.

"It was an ugly win," Head Coach Paul Hampton remarked after the match.

Kurt Zdrillich, Mark Zanette, Kyle Baulne, Dan Douglas and Jordan Gidaro each contributed a goal and an assist for the Wild, and Marc Fortin collected the other marker. Matt Marchese, Mike Bodley, John Sturino, Matt Brereton, Piero Petti and Brendon Farrugia each posted single assists.

Hampton wasn't pleased with the way his men let their foes get back in the game.

"We get the lead, and then we take penalties," he remarked, adding the players need to be more disciplined. The team gets enough penalties that he said it doesn't deserve.

He also observed that Bodley will be sitting out the next two games and Luke Fortin is suspended for one because of fights, and that doesn't help the cause when the next match will be Saturday at home against the league-leading Bradford Rattlers.

"A win is a win, as ugly as it is," he observed.

The Richmond Hill Rams split their two games over the weekend, meaning they're still tied with the Wild for second place in the Greater Metro Junior A standings with 27 points, but King now has a game in hand, giving it the edge. Bradford still has a comfortable 13-point lead over the rest of the pack.

Saturday's match against the Rattlers will start at 8:30 p.m.