The Lakehead Thunderwolves again lost to the No. 5 Western Mustangs by a 2-0 score Saturday afternoon at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay. Westerns goals came from Sal Peralta and Craig Kennedy. Goaltending was again in the forefront as Westerns Brad Topping turned aside 33 Lakehead shots to earn the shutout while Lakeheads Grant McCune made 26 often difficult saves to keep his team close.
Both of Westerns goals came on the powerplay. The loss puts Lakehead at 8-6-2 in OUA play (12-12-4 overall) while the first place Stangs are now 15-1-1 in OUA action and 20-6-1 overall.
Lakehead again had the edge in play in the first; outshooting Western 16-4 but couldnt beat Topping and that proved the Wolves undoing in the game. Lakehead also had a four minute man advantage and again their faltering powerplay couldnt convert. Topping made two great saves off Lakeheads Jason Lange during the powerplay to keep the score at zero at the end of the first.
Lakehead again did their customary second period letdown in intensity and again it hurt them when Peralta scored on the powerplay at 4:04, assisted by Mike Rice and Matt Mannias. Lakehead Captain Joel Scherban had a great chance at 7:40 but missed the open net. Western had a 5-on-3 at the end of the period but Lakeheads McCune made some big saves to deny the Stangs. Western outshot Lakehead 12-5 in the second.
The Wolves did not seem to have any jump in the third and Western played strong defensively to stymie Lakehead for most of the period. Western got their second tally at 4:31 on the powerplay when Kennedy converted a great pass from Kevin Richardson on a 2-on-1.
The Molsons Three Stars were:
1)Western: Brad Topping
2)Lakehead: Sal Peralta
3)Lakehead: Grant McCune
Lakehead sees action again next weekend at the Fort William Gardens when it welcomes the No. 10 Waterloo Warriors for two crucial divisional games. Both games will be videowebcast live on a pay-per-view basis and ordering info is available at www.thunderwolveshockey.com or www.news-cast.com.