The Lakehead Thunderwolves staged a furious third period rallyto overcome a 2-0 Windsor lead and defeated the Lancers 3-2 Friday night at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay. Windsor played the trap and controlled the Thunderwolves for 50 minutes of play but the line of Murray Magill, Peter Cava, and Sean Stefanski sparked the Wolves comeback with Magill and Stefanski getting a goal and an assist apiece while Cava added two assists. Jeff Richards scored the game winner for the 'Wolves. Graeme Lindsay and Kyle Trudell scored for Windsor. Windsor netminder Jay Ewasiuk made a number of excellent saves in the game, turning aside 36 Lakehead shots. The win lifts Lakehead's OUA record to 2-1-0-0 and 8-3-1-1 overall while Windsor's record goes to 0-1-0-0 in OUA play and 0-6-1-2 overall.
The first 10 minutes of the first were a little slow as each team felt each other out and the Lancers trap kept the pace slow. Lakehead killed off a minor and then put on some pressure at the halfway mark. Windsor netminder Jay Ewasiuk made a great blind save off a blistering wrist shot by Lakehead's Mark Robinson. Ewasiuk immediately followed with another good save off the 'Wolves' Dene Poulin. The Thunderwolves took another minor but the Lancers then took one of their own to nullify their powerplay. Lakehead then went on the powerplay and Peter Cava missed an empty net after a beautiful pass from Jason Lange. Ewasiuk then made a good stop off Jason Lange who was parked in front of the net. Ewasiuk then followed with a nice screened pad save off a low point shot by Lakehead's Drew Kivell. Lakehead followed with more shots but couldn't beat Ewasiuk. The 'Wolves were called for two minors in the last two minutes of the period, giving the Lancers a great opportunity. 'Wolves'netminder Grant McCune made a good save off Windsor's Kyle Trudell and then the Lancers Jordie Preston rang the right Lakehead post. Shots in the first were 11-4 Lakehead.
The Thunderwolves started the second still two men down. But, it was Lakehead who had the first scoring chance as Tobias Whelan and Joel Scherban were sprung on a 2-on1. Whelan passed it across to Scherban, who was all alone on the right side. Scherban hesitated waiting for Windsor's Ewasiuk to slide across but Ewasiuk came up with an incredible rolling on his back glove save to keep the score even. Lakehead's Jesse Baraniuk fired a rocket at 3:53 that rang the Lancers' right post. Action finally picked up as Lakehead's McCune made an excellent save to stone Windsor's Lindsay Graeme. The 'Wolves drew another minor and Windsor put on the pressure but Grant McCune made two good stops. Lakehead then put on the pressure with six minutes left, buzzing the Windsor goal. Ewasiuk made a good glove save off a deflection by Lakehead's Sean Stefanski. Ewasiuk followed with two good pad saves. Windsor went back up the ice and put on their own pressure and were rewarded at 15:47 when Kyle Trudell knocked it past a sprawled McCune. Assists went to Jason Penner and Michael McIlveen. Lakehead went back up the ice and Ewasiuk robbed Stefanski with a quick glove save. The Lancers definitively outworked and outhustled the 'Wolves in the secondand outshot Lakehead 17-10.
The 'Wolves started out fast with Murray Magill firing a quick shot that was handled nicely by Ewasiuk. Sean Stefanski then fired a shot over the Windsor net missing the open top corner. Dene Poulin then fanned on a lovely setup from Jason Lange from the side of the Lancer goal. Windsor's Graeme Lindsay then sped up the right side and beat Lakehead's McCune with a low shot at 4:06, assisted by Jordie Preston. Lakehead then went on the powerplay and fired a lot of pucks at the Windsor goal but couldn't seem to hit the net. It was at this point that Cava, Stefanski, and Magill kicked in