The No. 8 Lakehead Thunderwolves defeated the Waterloo Warriors 5-2 in hard fought second game of their two game OUA series Saturday night at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay. The win followed Friday night's 9-3 Lakehead victory. The win puts Lakehead's record at 2-0-0 in OUA play (6-1-0 overall). The loss drops Waterloo's record to 0-3-0 in OUA play. Lakehead was led by Captain Joel Scherban with 2goals and an assist and Tyler Williamson with a goal and an assist. Kevin Hurley led the Warriors with a goal and an assist. Warrior goaltender Scott Gouthro played a strong game, turning aside 48 of 53 Lakehead shots and making many spectacular saves.
Waterloo came out strong in the first minutes of the first period forcing Lakehead goaltender Cory McEachran to come up with two good saves. But, Waterloo's Richard Scott got the puck past McEachran at 2:58, assisted by Kevin Hurley and Mike Della Mora. McEachran then made a nice glove save off Mathew Iannetta at 6:50 during a Waterloo powerplay. The Thunderwolves started to come to life at the 9:00 mark, starting to carry the puck to the Waterloo zone. Waterloo goaltender Gouthro made a great skate save off Lakehead Captain Scherban at 14:00 during a Lakehead powerplay. Gouthro followed up with a nice pad save off Lakehead's Bryan Duce. Waterloo looked the stronger of the two teams in the first, outskating and outworking the Thunderwolves. Shots on goal were even at 7 each.
Waterloo's Kevin Hurley scored quickly 45 seconds into the second period, assisted by Adam Metherel. Waterloo's Gouthro made a great save off Lakehead's Wyatt Tunnicliffe when Tunnicliffe broke in all alone at 4:40. Lakehead kept buzzing the Waterloo goal but couldn't find the net for the next few minutes. Lakehead finally got on the board at 11:22 when Austin Wycisk knocked it in from the front of the Waterloo goal unassisted. This goal seemed to wake up the Thunderwolves as they quickly tied the game at 12:13 when Tyler Williamson roofed a wrist shot from the center slot past Gouthro, assisted by a nice pass from Chris Shaffer with the other assist going to Joel Scherban. Gouthro made a nice save off Lakehead's Matt Kenny at 14:01 to keep the score even.
Waterloo then went on the powerplay and had some good chances including a hard slap shot by Chris Hopiavuori that hit Lakehead goaltender Cory McEachran in the face mask. Lakehead defenseman Hugo Lehoux then knocked a dangerous puck in the air away from the Thunderwolves' crease area, saving a possible goal. McEachran then made a great save off Waterloo's Geoff Rivers. Lakehead then came close when Matt Kenny blasted a shot from the point that hit Gouthro in the face mask as well, dropping in front of him before Bryan Duce could knock in the rebound. Gouthro then made another sprawling off Lakehead's Chris Shaffer. Waterloo's Rivers then streaked up the ice on a two on one and rang the Lakehead post. Lakehead's Erik Lodge then carried up the ice and forced Waterloo's Gouthro to make a fine save. Shots were 17-6 for Lakehead in the second.
Lakehead carried the momentum into the final frame which started with Waterloo's Gouthro robbing Robert Hillier as Hillier dropped Gouthro with a fake but the Warrior goalie kicked up his pad to stop a sure goal. Lakehead's Shawn Perring then ripped a shot from the point that bounced up and over Gouthro and was rolling in the goal when Gouthro turned quickly and knocked it out with his goal stick just before it crossed the line. Joel Scherban gave the Thunderwolves the 3-2 lead at 7:00 on the powerplay. Bryan Duce feathered a lovely pass from the point to Scherban who was all alone in front of the Waterloo goal and<