The # 3 seeded Lakehead Thunderwolves will take on the #6 Waterloo Warriors in the first round of the OUA playoffs. Game #1 of the West Division quarter-finals will take place Wednesday night at Waterloo, before the series shifts to Thunder Bay for Game #2 on Friday night. If necessary, Game #3 will go Saturday night at the Fort William Gardens. Tickets are on sale now at the Gardens box office.
Last Time Out
The Thunderwolves completed the OUA regular season with a weekend split on the road. After overcoming a two-goal deficit to defeat Brock 4-3 in overtime on Friday night, Lakehead fell 5-3 at Waterloo in the Wolves regular season finale on Saturday.
Waterloo also split its two games last weekend, both played on the Warriors home ice. After the Warriors downed the Wolves 5-3 on Saturday night, Windsor edged Waterloo 3-2 to clinch second place for the Lancers and knock Lakehead down to third place.
Series History
The Thunderwolves hold the all-time series edge over Waterloo with a record of 30-17-2 versus the Warriors, and split the four games they played this season with the home team winning each time. In addition to last Saturdays loss at Waterloo, the Thunderwolves were also nipped 5-4 in overtime at the Columbia Ice Fields in mid-October.
Waterloo just visited the Fort William Gardens on the first weekend in February, with Lakehead winning 4-3 in overtime on the Friday, before blowing the Warriors out 9-3in the Saturday game.
Familiar Foe
Since Lakehead played Waterloo in three of its last four regular season games, both teams will become even more familiar with each other in the opening round of the playoffs.
About the Warriors
Sophomore Justin Larson led the entire OUA in scoring this season, and top-scoring freshman Colin Behenna finished fourth, so the Wolves will need to be watchful whenever those two players are on the ice. Sophomore defenceman Joe Underwood is the anchor on the Waterloo blue line, but also has the ability to move up into the play and score when the opportunity arises. Fifth-year senior netminder Keaton Hartigan carries the load in net for the Warriors.