Foligno grinds gears early

Newly measured at 6'3, 216 pounds, Sudbury left wing Marcus Foligno appears in mid-season form as the 2009-10 season catches stride. It could be tough sledding nightly for opposing skaters if the freshly turned 18-year old plays every game with the same intensity as he did the Saturday's 3-1 loss to Ottawa.

Win or lose, Sudbury Wolves forward Marcus Foligno wants to make sure any opposing team leaves the city with bumps and bruises. Foligno made his return from the Buffalo Sabres camp to the Wolves lineup Saturday night against the visiting Ottawa 67's and made his mark with crushing bodychecks that left more than one Ottawa player going back to the bench in pain. When the dust settled though, Ottawa skated away with a 3-1 victory, leaving Foligno with a bad taste in his mouth, but not dejected. "It feels great to be back," the strapping forward said. "This team has a lot of upside. I'm here to play hard every game and be a leader for the team. The Buffalo camp was a great experience for me and I learned a lot." Foligno wasted no time, seeking out his first target. On his first shift, he sent an Ottawa player sprawling to the ice within seconds of stepping on the ice. Throughout the game, Foligno never let up with the rough play. Opponents can expect plenty more. "It's part of my game," Foligno said about his nasty, remorseless physical side. "The fans love the bodychecks and I love it, too. There's nothing better than putting a guy down and seeing your team stand up and the fans cheering. I'll keep playing it and hopefully the points come with it, too."

Last season, Foligno registered 12 goals, 18 assists, and 96 PIM in 65 games for the Wolves.