The Lakehead Thunderwolves mens hockey team completed the sweep Saturday night with a 3-1 win over the Windsor Lancers at the Adie Knox Herman Arena in Windsor. Lakeheads goals came from Brad Priestlay, Erik Lodge, and Joel Scherban. The win puts Lakehead at 2-2 in OUA play and 6-5-2 overall while Windsor goes to 2-2 in conference play and 2-8 overall. The Thunderwolves outshot the Lancers 28-20 on the game and Lakehead took six penalties to Windsors one. Scherbans goal gives him 226 overall points; tying him for the all-time Lakehead hockey scoring record with Murray Smith of the Lakehead Norwesters.
The Thunderwolves took a lesson from the Windsor Lancers playbook and played a tight-checking, aggressive forecheck style that stymied the Lancers for the second night in a row. Lakehead Head Coach Pete Belliveau said the Wolves worked hard for the victory. It was a good weekend; only allowing 3 goals in two games. Mike Wehrstedt and Brad Priestlay were phenomenal on the penalty kill for us. Our team play was better tonight and theres a lot about out play we are happy about and that we can build on.
The first began with an early penalty to Windsor but Lakehead killed it off well. After the side evened up, Lakeheads Jason Lange fired a hard shot point blank at Windsor netminder Reese Kalleitner and the goalie made a big save. Lakehead got on the board at 5:08 when Brad Priestlay converted a good pass from Mike Wehrstedt with the other assist going to Mark Robinson. Lakehead took another minor but killed this one well again. Lakeheads Erik Lodge fired a blast from the point that beat a screened Kalleitner at 10:32, with assists going to Lange and Peter Cava. Lakehead took a minor with six minutes left and Lakehead netminder Chris Whitley made two good saves.
Kalleitner made a big save early in the second to stop Lakeheads Andrew Brown. Windsor then had some pressure for a couple minutes and Whitley robbed the Lancers Joe Mollard who cut in all alone. The Wolves put on some big pressure during the middle stages and Kalleitner was strong; making big saves off Lakeheads Brown, Lange, Mike Wehrstedt, and Mike Jacobsen. The Wolves drew a minor and Whitley made a good stop but the Wolves then again killed the penalty well with aggressive forechecking. Windsor put on pressure near the end of the period and the Wolves took a penalty. Lakeheads Whitley had to make some good saves during the penalty kill, including a very good one off the Lancers Graeme Lindsay.
The third opened with Windors Graeme Lindsay making a nice rush down the right side and forcing Lakeheads Whitley to make a big save. Windsor kept up the pressure and Lakehead took another penalty. However, again the Lakehead penalty kill was very aggressive and the Wolve aggressive forechecking stopped Windsor from getting any dangerous chances. Windsor put the pressure on again with six minutes left, keeping Lakehead pinned in their end. Lakeheads Whitley had to make a good save off Windsors Lindsay with just after five minutes left.
Windsor pulled Kalleitner with just over two minutes left and the Wolves took another penalty with just under two minutes left to play. The Lancers went on the powerplay and kept Kalleitner on the bench to play 6-on-4. The Lancers kept the puck in the Lakehead end and were rewarded at 19:00 when Alex White used his speed to come off the right side and score to bring the Lancers within one. Windsor pulled their goalie again and attacked with the extra attacker; again pinning the Wolves in their end. Lakehead broke out and Joel Scherban converted some hard forechecking by Mark Robinson as the Lakehead Captain scored the empty netter at 19:59 to put the icing on the cake.
Lakehead sees action again on the road next weekend when they travel to Kitchener-Waterloo to challenge the Laurier Golden Hawks.