In an instant, Alex Pharand threw the monkey on his back and replaced it with a 195-pound teammate.

Pharand was certainly happy to accept the embrace from Sudbury Wolves captain Nathan Villeneuve, just seconds after he ended a season-opening 10-game goalless drought with a quick shot from the high slot in a win over the Barrie Colts last Friday.

“It felt good,” smiled the Chelmsford native, shortly after the victory. “I was a little bit snakebitten at the start of the year, but that just means I’ve got to keep working hard every day, on and off the ice.

“That’s something that I preach and I do every day, doing the good habits, being the hardest-working player, taking care of my body and things will pay off. It really felt good to get it off my back and I’ve got to give credit to my team

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