Lakehead resumes OUA regular season versus Toronto this weekend

The Lakehead Thunderwolves hockey team will host the Toronto Varsity Blues in a return to OUA regular season play this Friday and Saturday at the Fort William Gardens, with the opening face-off set for 7:30 both nights.

Last Time Out

Lakehead swept the Laurentian Voyageurs by scores of 4-1 and 6-2 in the Thunder Bay Crime Stoppers Christmas Challenge last weekend.

Toronto played one non-conference game over the holidays, a 6-1 loss at Carleton last Sunday.

Series History

The Wolves have not played Toronto since the Varsity Blues visited the Fort William Gardens in November of 2009, but now the two teams will meet each other every season going forward.

Toronto has shifted from the East Division over to the West Division as part of the OUAs realignment over the off-season, so this weekend will mark the first time that both squads have squared off as division foes.

Lakehead holds the all-time series edge over Toronto with a record of 10-2-2 versus the Varsity Blues.

Battle for First Place

Lakehead has on OUA record of 11-3 and is tied with Windsor for first place in the West Division with a game in hand. But Toronto sits only two points behind the Wolves in a three-way tied for second-place, so this weekends match-up is critical in the race for first place in the OUA West Division.

About the Varsity Blues

Toronto has a record of 9-5-2 coming into the weekend, and the Varsity Blues will be looking to build on their strong first half of the season.

Led by Head Coach Darren Lowe, Torontos top scoring threats are forwards Michael Markovic, Tyler Von Engelbrechten and Jeff Brown, while defenceman Dylan Heide anchors the blue line for the Varsity Blues.

Brett Willows and Garrett Sheehan have split the duties in the Toronto goal, and have posted solid goals-against averages of 2.42 and 2.65 respectively.

Injury Report

Jeff Bosch, Brennan Menard and Carson Dubchak, all of whom missed most of the first half of the season, are now back in the Wolves line-up.

David Quesnele (lower body) is expected to miss this weekend, while Trevor Gamache (wrist) is likely out for the remainder of the season.