SUDBURY, ON-
Ryan Sproul and the Soo Greyhounds took their act on the road Friday Night and into the "Nickel City" for Game 4 of the Bell Challenge Cup versus the Sudbury Wolves.  The 2nd-year rearguard entered the game with 6 points in his last 3 games played.

With nine other games on the busy OHL schedule, the Hounds sat just 2 points behind the Storm, Spitfires and Spirit in the Western Conference playoff race.

With the first period over fifteen minutes gone, the Hounds would open the scoring.  DARNELL NURSE would skate the puck in from the left point and fire a shot from the goallline to the right of Johan Mattsson that  the Wolves netminder couldn't handle.  BRANDON ALDERSON put it home for his 13th goal of the year while NICK COUSINS picked up the other assist.
For Alderson that goal tied a career best 13 goals in a season dating back to his rookie campaign with the Sting.

Right off the next face-off Sudbury responded on a NIcholas Baptiste goal and the game was tied just 7 seconds later.

On the Hounds first powerplay of the game they would regain the lead.
ANDREW FRITSCH, who returned to the Hounds line-up for the 1st time since missing 33 games with injury, would notch his 6th goal of the season firing a one-time home while falling.
The play was setup by MICHAEL SCHUMACHER and Cousins for a 2-1 Hounds lead after the first.

Midway through the second the Hounds extended their lead with a pair of goals thirteen seconds apart.
COREY DUROCHER grabbed his 15th of the year putting a gloveside shot past Mattson and then COUSINS would go blockerside for a 4-1 Greyhounds lead.

The Hounds 4th goal would chase Mattsson from the Wolves net and Joel Vienneau would come in relief.

Derek Shoenmakers scored at the 11:23 mark for the Wolves to cut the deficit to 4-2.

But then with just 3:04 left in the period, RYAN SPROUL jumped into the rush on the right wing and would be fed the puck by Alderson and a quick release put the Hounds ahead 5-2 after 40 minutes.

The Hounds started the third period by killing off three consecutive shorthanded situations, and would go 6-for-6 on the penalty kill on the night.

FRITSCH notched his 2nd powerplay goal of the game just over the midway point of the period when Schumacher put a behind the back pass, and Fritsch would one-time it home for his 7th of the year.

Captain CAPTAIN DUBCHAK made it a 7-2 Greyhound lead just over two minutes later and while Sudbury would score once more the Hounds skated on to a 7-3 road victory.

Alderson (1g, 3a), Sproul (1g,1a), Fritsch (2g), Dubchak (1g,1a), Nurse (2a), Schumacher (2a) and Cousins (1g, 2a) all had multi-point nights for the Hounds.

The road victory was the Hounds first since a November 11th victory at London meanwhile it improved their record to 21-24-2-3, good for 47 points and an 8th place tie with the Guelph Storm.

UP NEXT;
The Hounds conclude their quick two-game road trip on Saturday with their lone visit of the season to the Barrie Molson Centre.  Game time against the Colts is 7:35 p.m. and you can hear all the action on Rock 101 starting at 7:05 p.m.

STH TICKET EXCHANGE
Fans are reminded that the Season Ticket Holder exchange deadline is nearing.  STH have up to, and including, Sunday February 12th to exchange any unused tickets for the 2011-12 season.
Full details are available on soogreyhounds.com or in the STH brochure.

BON SOO SKATE WITH THE HOUNDS
The Soo Hounds will be part of the Winter Carnival - BON SOO this coming Monday night with their Annual Skate with the Hounds.
The event takes place from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Essar Centre.

Admission is with your 2012 Bon Soo Winter Carnival button.