The Lakehead Thunderwolves mens hockey team opened up OUA regular season play with a 5-1 win over the Windsor Lancers Friday night in Windsor, Ontario. The win gives Lakehead a 1-0 mark in OUA play (1-2 overall) while Windsor is 0-1 in conference play and overall.
Dan Speer and freshman Kris Hogg led the Wolves with two goals apiece while singles came from Shandor Alphonso. Tobias Whelan and Brock McPherson each added two assists for Lakehead. Windsors tally came from Trevor Solomon. Play was 2-1 Lakehead entering the third; but a three-goal outburst in the first six minutes of the third put the game away for the Wolves.
Lakehead Head Coach Don McKee, who recorded his first win behind the Wolves bench; was very happy with his team's play. "I think westarted out a little slow with them getting an early goal on their first shot; but after that Kyle Moir settled down with some very solid play. The team battled hard to get back into it and the power play was good as was our penalty kill and Kyle gotstronger as the game went on.There were a lot of penalties in the game and we started to score in the third. Windsor played us tough and we're looking for a big battle again tomorrow night as they aren't happy with us winning in their arena and we will have to play solid defensively to weather their charge and hopefully come up with a win."
Lakehead was 2-14 with the man advantage and also scored a shorthanded marker. Windsor was 0-12 on the powerplay. Lakehead outshot Windsor 42-24 in the game.
After a shaky beginning to the game; Lakehead freshman netminder Kyle Moir played a very strong game making a number of good saves throughout. Windsors Jim Watt also made some good stops; turning aside 37 Lakehead shots.
In a penalty filled first period; it was the Lancers jumped out to an early 1-0 a minute into the first when Trevor Solomon beat the Wolves netminder Kyle Moir with a quick shot from the slot. The assist went to Kyle Nishizaki. Lakehead tied it up on the powerplay at 6:45 when Jordan C. Smith fired a point blast that was stopped by Windsor netminder Jim Watt; however the Wolves Dan Speer jumped on the rebound and banged it home. The other assist went to Brock McPherson. The Wolves made it 2-1 at 12:48 when Shandor Alphonso scored a shorthanded tally with a good individual effort; with the assist going to Devin Welsh. The Wolves outshot the Lancers 12-7.
Windsor came out fast in the second and the Wolves quickly drew a minor and then took another to go two men down. Lakehead fought off the first minor with Moir making two good saves. Lakehead continued to take more penalties and Moir continued to be sharp. The Wolves then went on the powerplay and put on some strong pressure but Watt made some good saves. The teams traded penalties throughout the rest of the period with neither team getting any really dangerous chances. Lakeheads Moir had to come up with a huge save just before the buzzer to rob Windsors Alex White. The Wolves outshot the Lancers 13-10 in the second.
Lakehead began the third with an early powerplay and Windsors Watt made a spectacular save off the Wolves Mark Soares and then followed with another great save off Lakeheads Speer. Windsor took another minor; giving Lakehead a short 5-on-3 and the Wolves put on some furious pressure. Tobias Whelan fired a hard blast that was stopped by Windsors Watt; but freshman Kris Hogg jumped on the rebound and netted his first-ever goal for the Wolves at 2:59. The other assist went to Andy Zulyniak. The Wolves quickly made it 4-1 at 3:37; when Speer knocked in his second of the game. Assists went to Mark Soares and Tobias Whelan.
Soon after, with the teams playing 4-on-4, the Wolves Hogg notched his second of the night at 5:43 when he ripped a hard wrist shot high past Windsors Watt to make it 5-1 Lakehead. The assist went to Whelan. Windsor went on the pow