It was a tough homecoming for Brock Badger goaltender, and Thunder Bay native, Shane Delaronde as the No. 5 Lakehead Thunderwolves hammered the Badgers 10-3 at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay Friday night. The Thunderwolves were led by a dominant performance from their first line of Joel Scherban, Jeff Richards, and Bryan Duce who combined for 16 points on the night.
Scherban set two Thunderwolves records; most points at six and most assists at five. Richards also added two new marks for the two year old team; most goals at four, and the first natural hat trick which he recorded in the first period. Duce added a goal and four assists. Four of Lakehead's goals came from special teams; three on the powerplay and one shorthanded. Brock's Pat Montgomery led the Badgers with 2 assists.
The win lifts Lakehead's record to 15-6 in regular season play, giving them 30 points, bettering last year's total of 29 points in their first year in the OUA. Their overall record is 20-10-2. Brock's record now stands at 8-13 in OUA play and 12-15-2 overall.
The first six minutes of the game was slow and choppy but then Lakehead found their groove. Shawn Perring opened the scoring on the powerplay at 7:02, when he knocked in a rebound from a shot from the point by Duce. Richards began his natural hat trick at 12:08, when he knocked in a rebound over the sprawled Delaronde. He got his second at 12:29, deking Delaronde neatly and sliding the puck under the goaltender. He completed the natural at 16:26 with the prettiest goal of the game, dropping Delaronde with a quick sideways fake and then roofing the puck just under the crossbar. Erik Lodge made it 5-0 on the powerplay at 19:26 when he blasted a shot from the point past a screened Delaronde. Lakehead outshot Brock 18-9 in the period.
Lakehead's Bryan Duce scored at the 34 second mark of the second period, assisted by Richards and Scherban. Brock then picked up their play and controlled most of the second period, skating faster and hitting. Brock's Ryan Shaver scored at 1:51, assisted by Scott McKenzie and Pat Montgomery. Lakehead goaltender Grant McCune made a nice poke check to rob Ashley White on a breakaway at 3:20. Brock's Delaronde then robbed Lakehead's Colin Shaw at 10:08 by flinging out his glove hand after being beaten on a good deke. Brock's Matt Osborne made it 6-2 at 11:40, firing a hard wrist shot past a screened McCune. Brock got another at 13:36 from Mike Colling with assists going to Pat Montgomery and Joe Forte. Joel Scherban made it 7-3 Lakehead at 18:12 when he deflected in a hard shot from the pointtaken by Erik Lodge.Shots were even in the second at 10 apiece.
The third period was all Thunderwolves. Chris Shaffer scored his 18th of the year at 1:42, assisted by Jason Lange. Richards scored his fourth at 10:21 with a shorthanded goal assisted by Scherban. Murray Magill closed out the scoring at 12:20, set up by a lovely pass from Wyatt Tunnicliffe. Lakehead outshot Brock 13-6 in the third and 41-25 in the game.
Lakehead Head Coach Pete Belliveau said the play of his first line was the key to victory. "I think the line of Scherban, Richards, and Duce is one of the best in the CIS and they showed it tonight. When this line is firing on all cylinders, we'reamuch harderteam to beat. Richards is a natural scorer with blazing speed and tonight was his night."
The Three Stars, as selected by Leith Dunick of the Thunder Bay Post, were:
1)Jeff Richards: Lakehead
2)Joel Scherban: Lakehead
3)Bryan Duce: Lakehead
Attendance at the game was 2887. The two teams take to the ice again Sunday afternoon at the Fort William Gardens at 1:00 PM for the second game of the two-game series.