The Lakehead Thunderwolves were edged 4-3 by the Windsor Lancers before a crowd of 2581 in game #1 of the best-of-three OUA West Division semi-finals at the Fort William Gardens on a frigid Wednesday night in Thunder Bay.
The first period was well-played with some good scoring chances for each team, but both goaltenders Justin McDonald for Lakehead and Parker Van Buskirk for Windsor were equal to the task.
Windsor opened the scoring early in the second period when Spencer Pommells converted after he found himself alone on the doorstep at 1:18.
Dylan Denomme blasted a one-timer past McDonald at 5:13, and then Pommells scored on a backhander from in close at 6:48 to quickly put the Lancers up 3-0.
Cody Alcock got Lakehead on the board when he batted a loose puck past Van Buskirk with 1:23 left in the period to narrow Windsors lead to 3-1 and give the Wolves some momentum heading into the third.
Lakeheads Keith Grondin scored a beautiful wrap-around goal at 6:40 to narrow the Lancers lead to 3-2, but Pommells completed his hat-trick to restore Windsors two-goal cushion at 11:01.
Lakehead pulled the goalie for an extra attacker with about two minutes left on the clock, and when Windsor was called for too many men on the ice with just over a minute left in the game, the Wolves had a 6-on-4 power play.
Jake Wright converted on that advantage when he shoveled home a rebound with 31 seconds to go to cut Windsors lead to 4-3, but that was as close as the Wolves would get.
Total shots on goal for the night were 37-34 in favor of the Lancers.
The Molson Three Stars of the game were:
1.Spencer Pommells, Windsor
2.Keith Grondin, Lakehead
3.Mike Hammond, Lakehead
The Wolves will try to stave off elimination when they travel down to Windsor for game #2 of the series on Saturday night. If necessary, game #3 will be played at the South Windsor Arena on Sunday evening.