The Lakehead Thunderwolves fell 5-4 in overtime to the Mount Royal Cougars in front of 2,454 fans at the Fort William Gardens on Saturday night.
After a tight-checking contest on Friday, this game was much more wide-open, but every time Lakehead scored, Mount Royal was able to respond.
Mike Hammond got the Wolves on the board just 1:21 into the game with Luke Maw recording the assist. Then just before the midway point of the first period, Mount Royals Zach Henry tied the game when he beat Wolves netminder Justin McDonald after a Lakehead giveaway in the neutral zone.
Less than three minutes later, Hammond put the Wolves back in front with a beautiful goal when he beat Cougars goalie Cameron Lanigan high on the short side, with Andrew Tessier and Cody Alcock credited with the assists.
Late in the period, MacKenzie Johnson fired the puck past McDonald to deadlock the game at 2-2 at the end of the opening frame.
Matt Kaarela put Lakehead up 3-2 at 5:44 of the second period when he scooped up a loose puck and backhanded it past Lanigan. Freshmen Nathan Cull and Brennen Dubchak picked up the assists.
The play became increasingly physical in the middle stanza, with plenty of hits on both sides.
With less than a minute to go in the second period, Mount Royal tied the game up again at 3-3 when Brett Zarazun converted on the power play.
At 6:25 of the third period, the Cougars took the lead for the first time on a goal by Matt Brown, but then it was Lakeheads turn to respond. Mike Hammond did just that in style, when he completed his hat-trick by firing the puck high over Lanigan at 11:59 with Kelin Ainsworth and Mike Quesnele picking up the helpers.
Regulation time ended with the scored deadlocked at 4-4, which gave both teams a chance to test out the new CIS overtime format.
The first five minutes of four-on-four sudden death overtime went scoreless, which led to a second five-minute overtime period with both teams now playing with only three men per side. Midway through that second frame of extra time, Mount Royals Jeff Barrett blasted home the winner.
The Molson Three Stars of the game were:
1.Mike Hammond, Lakehead
2.Kelin Ainsworth, Lakehead
3.Rob Trzonkowski, Mount Royal
Lakehead will remain at home and host the Laurentian Voyageurs for a pair of games next Friday and Saturday night at the Fort William Gardens.