The Lakehead Thunderwolves men's hockey team kicks off their season and the annual Zanatta Homecoming Weekend with a two-game set against the Carleton Ravens Friday and Saturday nights at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay.
Both games will be videowebcast live on a pay-per-view basis with ordering information available at http://events.news-cast.com/events/Lakehead. Viewers will need hi speed internet and Windows Media Player to watch the broadcasts. Lakehead Sports Info Director Mike Aylward will be calling the game live with Brian Schroeder handling the colour duties with the broadcasts beginning each night at 7:20 pm EST.
This series will mark the first ever meeting between the two teams and both games face off at 7:30 pm EST. The Ravens enter the weekend with an 1-1 mark in non-conference action after playing two games and placing third at the UNB Fall Classic Tournament in Fredericton last weekend. The Ravens lost 7-0 to the host V-Reds and then came back with a big 7-3 win over Dalhousie.
The Thunderwolves begin their season full of optimism and look to start the year off right against the Ravens. The Wolves are coming off a record breaking season last year but this season have their sights set clearly on a national championship; and that long journey begins this weekend against the Ravens. Lakehead is hosting the CIS Cavendish University Cup, presented by TBaytel, Men's Hockey Championships for the next two seasons.
The Lakehead coaching staff will be using the weekend to judge players still on the Wolves roster and the series will also be used to make further cuts toward the team's final roster.
Lakehead Head Coach Don McKee said his team is looking for a positive start to the season. "I think one of the things that we have to be prepared for is Carleton coming off a big weekend in New Brunswick where they bounced off a loss to UNB to record a big win over Dalhousie. I think Carleton's pretty much got their lineup set whereas we are still working on our final roster. We've got a big week of preparation this week as we get ready for the Ravens and I think it's going to be a very tough weekend of entertaining hockey."
This is the Ravens second year in the OUA and the third as a varsity squad after a more than 30 year hiatus of varsity hockey at the national capital university; recently known more as a CIS men's basketball power. However, Carleton hired experienced Head Coach Fred Parker to helm the Ravens and he used his solid connections in hockey circles across Canada to build a strong team very quickly; full of Major Junior graduates.
Parker said he and his squad are ready to measure themselves against the Wolves. "We're looking at this as a great test against one of the top programs in the country, its a great opportunity for a second year program to see where we have to get to."
Lakehead Thunderwolves:
2007-08 Record: 23-4-0-1 Regular Season: First in OUA and OUA West and Far West Divisions. Lost 2-1 to Brock on OUA Semi-Finals.
The Wolves led the OUA in scoring last year and were tied for third in goals allowed so Coach McKee and his staff are looking to build on the scoring and work on cutting down the goals against even more.
The Wolves will feature a potent lineup full of talented veterans like CIS First Team All Canadian fifth year senior netminder Chris Whitley (OUA MVP), CIS First Team All Canadian Junior defenceman Jordan C. Smith, OUA scoringchampion Dan Speer, fifth year senior captain Andrew Brown, OUA First Team All Star junior forward Brock McPherson (No. 2 OUA Scoring), OUA Second Team All Star junior forward Mark Soares (tied No. 3 OUA Scoring), OUA All Rookie sophomore forward Kris Hogg, former OUA All star senior forward Tobias Whelan, sophomore goalie Kyle Moir, sophomore defenceman Pierre-Marc Guillbault, and junior d-man Andy Zulyniak.
Lakehead's goaltending tandem of Whitley and Moir have looked solid in camp so far as have forwards Speer and Soares and d-men Smith and Guilbault.
Also in the squad this weekend are veterans such as tough fifth year senior d-man Drew Kivell, fifth year senior forwards Brad Priestlay, Matt Maisonneuve, and Richard Molenaar, sophomore d-men Mitch Maunu and Jordan B. Smith, sophomore forward Devin Welsh, senior forward Shandor Alphonso, senior d-man Dan Rogers, and junior forward Nathan Breukelman.
Also battling for roster sports are talented recruits made up of fifth year transfer senior forward Jesse Pyatt (former OUA and CISscoring champ with Guelph), senior forward Scott Dobben, redshirt transfer sophomore transfer d-man Ryan Baird (Lake Superior State NCAA Div. I), freshmen d-men Bryan Wilson (three teams; QMJHL), Kalvin Sagert (three teams; WHL), freshmen forwards Andy Hyvarinen (Alberta Junior Hockey League Scoring Champ with Canmore), Arron Alphonso (OHL-Soo Grehyhounds/Ottawa 67s), and redshirt freshman Adam Sergerie (Selkirk: Manitoba Junior Hockey League). Hyvarinen and Sergerie have displayed some touch around the net during camp and the coaching staff is looking for solid contributions from all the new recruits.
Coach McKee and his staff face a big challenge in making further cuts to the Wolves roster as Lakehead has plenty of talent to choose from.
Carleton Ravens:
2007-08 Record: 12-13-0-3 Regular Season. Fourth Place in OUA Far East Division. Lost 2-0 in OUA East First Round Playoffs to eventual Queen's Cup Champions McGill.
Carleton 2008-09 Results:
Sep. 20: Carleton 7 Dalhousie 3
Sep: 19: UNB 7 Carleton 0
Coach Parker and his Ravens come to Thunder Bay with a young team that features 12 freshmen, 11 sophomores, one junior, and three fifth year seniors.
The Ravens have some firepower of their own; led by sophomore Jared Cipparone who notched 11 goals and 26 assists last season. The big sniper to watch for Carleton is sophomore Bryan Marriner who tallied 20 times last season to go along with 8 assists. The third big gun for Carleton is a face familiar to Lakehead fans; fifth year senior forward Francis Walker who played previously for Lakehead. Walker had a stellar season last year; notching 8 goals and 15 assists in only 15 games.
Carleton can also count on offense from sophomores Michael Testa (10 goals, 13 assists) and Justin Carauna (12 goals, 9 assists). Sophomore d-man Brodie Beard is an excellent playmaker from the point. Junior goalie Doug Jewer anchors the back line for the Ravens.
New freshmen recruits to watch are former Soo Greyounds (OHL) captain Brandon MacLean, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) netminder Alex Archibald, defenseman Ryan Berard and forward Brett Halstead of the Barrie Colts (OHL).
In Carleton's non-conference win over Dalhousie last weekend; Marriner and Berard each scored twice with singles coming from MacLean, Andrew Gibbons, and Tony Manitta. Freshman netminder Archibald earned his first CIS win in the game.