The Lakehead Thunderwolves mens hockey team skated to a huge 5-1 home win over the CIS No. 6 Western Mustangs Friday night at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
The victory keeps the Wolves hopes alive at having home ice advantage in their upcoming OUA West first round playoff series against the Waterloo Warriors. Lakehead will have to win Saturdays rematch against the Mustangs at the Gardens and hope the Windsor Lancers can defeat the Warriors Saturday night in Windsor for the Wolves to get home ice advantage next week in the playoffs.
The Wolves go to 17-8-1-1 in OUA play (23-12-1-1 overall) while Western is now 19-7-1 in OUA play.
Lakehead was led by Scott Dobben with a pair of goals while single tallies came from Arron Alphonso, Brock McPherson, and Mark Soares. Drew Kivell and Kris Hogg picked up a pair of assists each. Kivell played a very strong game for the Wolves. Jason Furlong scored for the Mustangs.
The Molson's Three Stars:
1) Lakehead: Scott Dobben
2) Lakehead: Mitch Maunu
3) Lakehead: Chris Whitley
Lakehead netminder Chris Whitley picked up his ninth OUA win (9-3); turning aside 31 Western shots. Mustangs goalie Brad Topping (10-5) took the loss; stopping 38 Lakehead shots.
The Wolves were 1-5 on the powerplay while Western was 0-5. Lakeheads other special teams goal proved crucial on the night; as McPhersons goal, the Wolves third, was a shorthander scored midway through the second. The big goal gave Lakehead a 3-0 lead while the Wolves were killing a 5-on-3 Western powerplay.
Saturday nights final game of the regular season will see a special pre-game ceremony honouring seven Lakehead graduating seniors; fifth-year senior captain Andrew Brown, fifth-year senior goaltender Chris Whitley, fifth-year senior assistant captain Tobias Whelan, fifth-year senior assistant captain Drew Kivell, fifth-year senior forward Richard Molenaar, fifth-year senior forward Matt Maisonneuve, and fifth-year senior forward Brad Priestlay.
Saturdays game faces off at 7:30 pm EST and will be videowebcast live with ordering info available at http://events.news-cast.com/events/Lakehead Viewers will need hi speed internet and Windows Media Player to watch the broadcasts. Rock94 FM Sports Director Byran Wyatt will be calling the play live with Argus campus newspaper Sports Editor Mike St. Jean handling the colour.
Game Summary:
Western 1 at Lakehead 5
Feb 13, 2009 - Fort William Gardens, Thunder Bay, Ontario.
1st Period
Scoring
1. Lakehead, A. Alphonso (3) (A. Hyvarinen) 9:35
2. Lakehead, S. Dobben (10) (K. Hogg) 14:00 PP
Penalties - J. Smith Lkhd (interference) 3:40, J. Swit Uwo (tripping) 12:17, A. Brown Lkhd (roughing) 17:30, R. Martinelli Uwo (roughing) 17:39
2nd Period
Scoring
3. Lakehead, B. McPherson (18) (M. Maunu, D. Kivell) 8:50 SH
4. Lakehead, S. Dobben (11) (A. Brown, K. Hogg) 18:41
Penalties - G. Killing Uwo (hooking) 1:48, K. Turkiewicz Uwo (tripping) 4:21, D. Welsh Lkhd (tripping) 7:04, S. Dobben Lkhd (hooking) 8:07, R. Molenaar Lkhd (hooking) 10:29, Y. Farmanara Uwo (unsportsmanlike cnd.) 16:47, M. Maunu Lkhd (roughing) 16:47
3rd Period
Scoring
5. Western, J. Furlong (8) (J. McCann, J. Ertl) 14:00
6. Lakehead, M. Soares (9) (D. Kivell, B. Priestlay) 15:35
Penalties - J. Smith Lkhd (interference) 5:24, P. Ouellet Uwo (10-minute misconduct) 7:34, A. Snow Uwo (roughing) 7:34, D. Kivell Lkhd (roughing) 7:34, B. McPherson Lkhd (10-minute misconduct) 7:34, J. Furlong Uwo (unsportsmanlike cnd.) 18:01, R. Molenaar Lkhd (unsportsmanlike cnd.) 18:01, Y. Farmanara Uwo (unsportsmanlike cnd.) 19:11
UWO Shots: 7 8 17 TOTAL: 32
LKHD Shots: 17 10 16 TOTAL: 43
Power Play Conversion
Western 0-5.
Lakehead 1-5.
Goaltenders
Western
Topping 10-5-0-0 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 60:00 SV: 38 GA: 5
Lakehead
Whitley 9-3-0-0 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 60:00 SV: 31 GA: 1