The Lakehead Thunderwolves hockey team won a high-scoring affair against the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks with an 8-5 victory in Oshawa, Ontario on Friday night.
Ontario Tech held a 2-1 lead after the first period, with goals from Luke Van Moerkerke and Tony Rizzi. Adam Sergerie scored Lakehead's only goal of the opening period,one in whichthe Ridgebacks outshot the Wolves 10-9.
Mitch Fillman tied it up at 2-2just 12 seconds into the second period, but Ontario Tech re-claimed the lead on a Jeremy Whelan blast at the 4:26 mark. Matt Caria and Brennan Menard scored less than two minutes apart midway through the middle frame to give Lakehead a 4-3 lead heading into the third. Shots on goal favored Lakehead 11-9 in the period.
Lakehead broke the game wide open in the final period, with four straight goals in a little over a ten-minute span. Mike Hammond got things started with a powerplay marker just 38 seconds into the period, and then Fillman scored his second of the game, with Riley McIntosh and Andrew Wilkinsaddding two more scores. That offensive outburst gave the Wolves an 8-3 lead with just under nine minutes remaining in the game.
Josh Vatri and Van Moerkerke got a couple of late goals for the Ridgebacks to make the score respectable, but Lakehead still skated away with the 8-5 win. Shots on goal in the third period were 18-12 for Ontario Tech, giving the Ridgebacks a 37-32 edge for the game. Alex Dupuis made 32 saves in goal for the Wolves, while Jeff Dawson had 24 stops for the Ridgebacks.
The Wolves have won their last nine league games in a row, and are now tied with the Western Ontario Mustangs atop the OUA West Division with 32 points.
Lakehead and Ontario Tech will face each other again Saturday night in Oshawa, with game being broadcast live on Rock 94 FM.