The Lakehead Thunderwolves hockey team will host the Western Ontario Mustangs for a pair of games at the Fort William Gardens this Friday and Saturday. The opening face-off is set for 7:30 both nights.
Last Time Out
Lakehead is coming off a road trip at Waterloo and Laurier, where the Thunderwolves collected three out of a possible four points. The Wolves lost 5-4 in overtime on Friday night at Waterloo, but rebounded nicely with a 4-0 win at Laurier on Saturday.
Lakehead currently sits alone atop the OUA West Division with a record of 4-1-1 (6-3-1 overall), and is ranked #8 in the CIS Top Ten Poll.
Series History
Western Ontario is the only team in the OUA that has a winning record versus the Thunderwolves. Lakeheads all-time record is 22-36-1 against the Mustangs, and the Wolves went zero for four against their rivals from London last season. When Lakehead hosted Western Ontario last January, the Mustangs won both games by identical 1-0 scores. The Wolves travelled to London the next two weekends. The first time, Lakehead was shut out by Western for the third game in a row, dropping a 4-0 decision, and the following week fell 7-4 to the Mustangs.
The last time the Thunderwolves beat the Mustangs was a 5-2 road victory in the decisive game three of the 2010 OUA West Division finals. That win propelled Lakehead to the Queens Cup Championship game and earned it a spot in the Nationals. Since then, the Wolves have dropped the last six games versus the 'Stangs.
Busniuks Debut
This weekend will mark interim Head Coach Mike Busniuks home debut as the main man behind the Thunderwolves bench. Busniuk had been previous Head Coach Joel Scherbans top assistant for the past two-plus seasons.
About the Mustangs
Western Ontario has uncharacteristically dropped its last two games, both on home ice; a 4-2 loss to the Guelph Gryphons last Wednesday, and a 5-4 defeat at the hands of the Windsor Lancers on Saturday. That being said, the Mustangs are still the two-time defending OUA West Division champions, and despite the graduation of some key seniors, are still a formidable squad.
Western has eight freshmen in the line-up, six of whom played major junior in either the OHL or WHL last season. One of those freshmen is Daniel Erlich, who currently leadstheteam in scoring. Otheroffensive threats for the Mustangs include sophomore Zach Harnden and junior Steven Reese.
Senior netminder Josh Unice has been a perennial standout in the Mustangs goal, and has had some of his best performances against the Thunderwolves.