The No. 9 UQTR Patriotes swept their non-conference series with the No. 3 Lakehead Thunderwolves by posting a 6-3 win Saturday night before 2778 fans at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay. Yannick Lavigne led UQTR with a goal and an assist. UQTR's other goals Simon St. Pierre, Nicolas Pelletier, Mathieu Thibodeau, Frederic Lavoie, and Pierre Yves-Albert. Lakehead was led by Chris Shaffer with two goals with Mike Self adding a single. Lakehead outshot UQTR 37-31 in the game.
The first period was rather listless with neither team looking sharp. Play started with UQTR's Jean Morin firing a hard shot from the right point that was deflected wide by Lakehead goalie Grant McCune. Lakehead's Sean Stefanski then tried a between the legs backhander that was blocked by UQTR's Goulet. A giveaway by a Lakehead dman proved costly as it set up a Patriotes' 2-on-1. Gabriel Balasescu fed a perfect pass from the right side into the slot and found Yannick Lavigne who fired it home at 3:52. Lakehead then drew a minor but it was the Wolves' Chris Shaffer who had a good chance from the slot that was steered wide by Goulet. Les Patriotes Mathieu Thibodeau then fired a hard shot that McCune got a piece of and the puck trickled just past the left post.
The Wolves then had a man advantage but couldn't get a shot on net. Lakehead put on a little pressure and Mike Self fired a slap shot along the ice that beat Goulet 5-hole at 15:50. The assists went to Sean Stefanski and Tobias Whelan. However, Whelan took a minor, putting the Wolves down one man. UQTR struck quickly when Nicolas Pelletier fired a weak low shot that was deflected past McCune by a Lakehead dman at 16:54. The assist went to Pierre Morvan. A small skirmish broke out right after putting the Thunderwolves down one man. Lakehead's McCune then made a fine save off a point blast by UQTR's Jerome Bergeron followed by a quick reaction save off a shot by Balasescu. UQTR's Thibodeau jumped on a rebound and roofed it past McCune at 19:36, assisted by Balasescu. UQTR outshot Lakehead 14-6 in the first.
UQTR jumped on the board at the 24 second mark of the second when a weak backhander by Frederic Lavoie's centering pass found its way past McCune into the Lakehead net. The assist went to Begeron. Lakehead then switched goaltenders; putting in Chris Whitley but Whitley had no luck as well. The first shot he faced beat him at 2:48; when Pierre Albert fired a hard drive from the slot assisted by Lavigne. Lakehead then had some pressure but Goulet jumped on the loose puck in the crease. Lakehead then went a man down again and Lakehead's Chris Shaffer scored a beautiful shorthanded goal at 6:27; firing a quick wrist shot over Goulet's left shoulder assisted by Jason Lange. UQTR's Morin then blasted a shot that hit the intersecton of the right Lakehead post and crossbar. Lakehead's Brad Priestlay the fired a hard wrist shot that was gloved by Goulet at 7:50.
Lakehead then went on the powerplay and scored an apparent goal that was disallowed by the referee in a very strange decision. But, the Wolves quickly made it up when a point blast by Dene Poulin was deflected by Chris Shaffer past Goulet along the ice at 11:42, with the other assist going to Lange. UQTR took a timeout at this point. Les Patriotes put on the pressure and Simon St. Pierre deked Whitley out of position and tucked the puck in the Lakehead net at 15:21, assisted by Samuel Gibbons. UQTR's Goulet made a good glove save off a quick backhander by Lakehead's Lange at 16:20. Goulet made a fine "Patty Roy" splits glove save off Lakehead's Francis Walker at 17:28. Lakehead put on some furious pressure, shooting the puck all around the UQTR net. UQTR was called on a minor with a minute left and Lakehead's Shaffer fanned. UQTR was called for another mino