The No. 10 Lakehead Thunderwolves took their OUA West first round playoff series with a 3-0 win Friday night before 2612 fans at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay. The sweep means Lakehead will play York in one of the OUA West semi-finals with the first game Wednesday at the Gardens. Lakehead Captain Joel Scherban had two assists and the Thunderwolves goals came from Jeff Richards, Austin Wycisk, and Peter Cava. Guelph netminder Ken Ritson played a fine game, turning aside 40 Lakehead shots, and making some spectacular saves.
Lakehead had some good early chances in the first with Murray Magill fanning on a beautiful set up from Peter Cava and Sean Stefanski being robbed by Guelph netminder Ken Ritson. Lakehead then went on the powerplay and Ritson stopped Jeff Richards who had three whacks at the puck. The Gryphons then had a man advantage of their own and came close with a point shot by Jamie Lovell. Guelph's Jimmy Mizurka then made a nice move and fired a shot that was stopped nicely by Lakehead goalie Chris Whitley. Lakehead's Austin Wycisk then just missed with a tip in attempt from in front of the Guelph goal with 11 minutes left. The Wolves then took two minors giving the Gryphons a great opportunity but it was the Thunderwolves who struck first at 11:17. Mike Self made a great diving poke check to Richards who fed the puck to a streaking Joel Scherban and the Lakehead Captain broke in alone on Ritson and was stopped. But Scherban fed it out to Richards in front of the goal and Richards knocked it in. Play got a little rough in the final few minutes. Lakehead outshot Guelph 11-9 in the period.
The second started with some fast action both ways and Lakehead's Whitley had to make a great splits toe save to stop a low shot by Guelph sniper Scott Rozendal. Guelph came close again at 3:29 when Stephen Morris whacked at a Whitley rebound and Whitley had to dive on the puck before it crossed the red line. Lakehead's Richards then fired a quick shot from the slot that was gloved nicely by Guelph's Ritson. Lakehead's Steve Rawski then blasted a low slap shot from the top of the left circle that was deflected past Ritson by Austin Wycisk at 6:25. The other assist went to Scherban.
Lakehead kept up the pressure and came close on two more chances. Action again was fast and furious both ways with both teams getting cracks at the opponents' net but Ritson and Whitley held firm. Lakehead then put on some pressure and Ritson came up with a nice glove save off a point shot from Dene Poulin. Guelph went on the powerplay and Whitley made two saves on Guelph wraparound attempts. Lakehead killed off the penalty and then went on the man advantage with a minute left in the period. Guelph's Morris had the first scoring chance that Whitley nicely kicked out and then Lakehead went up the ice and set up a final second point blast by Andrew Brown that Ritson made a great save on. Lakehead outshot Guelph 19-11 in the second.
Lakehead started on the powerplay and Scherban just missed a wide open net. Lakehead's Erik Lodge fed Peter Cava with a long pass and Cava broke in alone from the left side, gave a head fake, and roofed it over Ritson's shoulder at 1:04, with only 1 second left in the Guelph penalty. Goaltender Whitley picked up the other assist. Guelph went on the powerplay but quickly nullified it with a hook on Joel Scherban on a shorthanded breakaway. The four on four action was fast and ended with a short Lakehead powerplay climaxing with Jeff Richards firing a hard wrist shot from the slot that Ritson smothered. Guelph went on the powerplay with 11 minutes left but couldn't get anything going. The Wolves then went on the man advantage and buzzed the Guelph goal.
However, at 6:52, in front of the team benches a skirmish broke out that resulted in G