The Lakehead Thunderwolves completed the sweep over the visiting Saint Marys Huskies with an exciting 6-4 win Saturday night before a crowd of 3050 at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay. The win puts Lakehead's record at 4-0 in non-conference play while Saint Mary's has an 0-2 record in n/c play. The Huskies played a very strong game and outshot the Wolves 48-32 but Lakehead netminder Grant McCune had another big game for his third win of the season. Lakehead, though outshot by a big margin, had a lot of quality scoring chances and proved they could convert on their opportunities.
Lakehead was led by Peter Cava, who had a monster game with three goals and an assist while Andrew Brown, Mark Robinson, and Joel Scherban notched the other Thunderwolves tallies. The Huskies scoring came from Dan Rudisuela, Andrew Carver, Jordan Chomack, and Brandon McBride.
The first period was very quick and featured a lot of fast breaks. Lakehead had some early pressure and Huskies netminder Jasen Awalt came up with a good stop off a hard point shot by the Thunderwolves Steve Rawski. Saint Marys then went on the offensive and Lakehead netminder Grant McCune had to be careful with a dangerous rolling puck in the crease at 2:45. Lakehead took the lead at 4:07 when Peter Cava blasted a low shot from the right circle that went off Awalts skate. Assists went to Erik Lodge and Jason Lange. The Huskies Dan Rudisuela made a nice move on McCune at 5:40 but fired the puck through the crease off both posts. Lakeheads Cava got his second of the game at 6:47 when he picked up a bouncing puck off the backboards and flipped it over Awalt. Assists went to Erik Lodge and Mark Robinson.
Lakeheads Andrew Brown fired a rocket at 11:45 that Awalt turned aside nicely. The Wolves Cava just missed a natural hat trick when he fired the puck wide 30 seconds later. The Huskies came close at 14:00 when a point shot hit Lakeheads McCune in the mask and Rudisuela fired the rebound off the post. A Huskies dman giveaway almost gave Cava his hat trick but this time he fired it off Awalts skate and out. Lakehead kept up the pressure but Awalt made two good saves. The Huskies Jordan Chomack fired a hard point shot that hit McCune in the mask again after deflecting off his trapper. Chomack drew a minor and the Wolves pressed during the powerplay but couldnt beat Awalt as the buzzer went. Lakehead outshot Saint Marys 14-11 in the first.
Cava recorded the natural hat trick at 1:32 when he roofed it over new Huskies netminder David Chant. The assist went to Mike Jacobsen. The Wolves came close on a 3-on-1 when Erik Lodge fed Lange beautifully and Lange hit the post. Lodge then stole the puck from a Huskies d-man and passed across to Lange and Lange fanned in front of the goal. After that point, most of the second period belonged to the Huskies. Saint Marys Scott Hotham fed Dan Rudisuela with a perfect pass and Rudisuela broke in alone on McCune and beat him five hole at 8:46. Lakehead then took an minor and Ryan Lauzon was all alone in front of the Wolves goal but McCune made a rolling stacked pad glove save to rob the Huskies sniper. Sides evened up and the Wolves went on the attack and Andrew Brown fired a backhander that was stopped well by Chant at 13:00.
The Huskies came close at 14:50 when Marc Rancourt fired from the left circle and McCune made a diving save. McCune followed with a great toe save a few seconds later. The Huskies pressure forced Lakehead to take a minor and Saint Marys buzzed the Lakehead goal. Rudisuela fired wide when McCune was down and McCune followed with a good glove save. McCune made more good saves after the sides went to even strength as the Huskies kept up the pressure. Lakehead finally cleared their end in the last two minutes and put on some pressure of their own. Jeff Richards fired a good wrist shot that was gloved nicely by Chant at 19:20. The Huskies Ran