It was a battle of the goaltenders in the game between the Lakehead Thunderwolves and the Laurier Golden Hawks in Day 2 action at the TBaytel Varsity Cup Tournament Sunday night in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakeheads Kyle Moir and Lauriers Jeff MacDougald both put on a show and the outcome wasnt decided until the sudden death round of the OT shootout as the Wolves Dan Speer scored to give Lakehead a 4-3 win. VIDEO GAME REPORT
Throughout three periods of regulation and the 10-minute overtime, both netminders made a number of big saves to keep their respective teams in the game. Moir turned aside 38 Laurier shots while MacDougald stopped 39 Lakehead attempts as final shots on goal were 42-41 in favour of Lakehead after regulation and the OT period.
Speer also added a goal and an assist in regulation play with other Lakehead tallies coming from Brock McPherson (1 assist) and Adam Sergerie. Mark Voakes, Jean-Michel Rizk, and Philip Magistrale scored for the Hawks with Voakes and Rizk each adding a helper.
Lakehead was 2-8 on the powerplay while Laurier was 2-7 with the man advantage.
The Hawks came out very fast in the first period and seemed to have the Wolves confused with their quick pace until Lakeheads Brock McPherson scored on the powerplay at 8:15. The Wolves picked up their play and made it 2-0 on Sergeries goal at 13:18. However, the Hawks used their speed for a lot of quick counterattacks and the Wolves Moir had to be sharp.
The Hawks kept up the attack in the second and were rewarded by powerplay goals from Voakes (8:45) and Magistrale (14:03) and then Rizk beat the Wolves Moir at 19:04 to give the Hawks a 3-2 lead heading into the third.
The third period saw both teams have excellent scoring chances and again the goaltenders stymied all comers. Lakehead finally evened the score on Speers powerplay goal at 17:27 and then the Wolves had some more good opportunities but were denied by Dougald.
The tourney OT format is four-on-four for 10 minutes and the fact that there was more open ice would seem to favour the speedy Hawks and they had some dangerous chances early but were again denied by Lakeheads Moir. Lauriers Craig Voakes sped up the ice and split the Lakehead defense and was hauled down at the one minute mark and was awarded a penalty shot. The Wolves Moir denied the Hawks sniper with a great pad save.
A few minutes into the OT it seemed evident that perhaps the travel challenges faced by Laurier in getting to the tourney may have taken their toll. Lakehead began to put on the pressure and it was time for MacDougald to make some more good saves. The OT period ended with Lakeheads Moir making a buzzer beater sliding save and it was into the three-round OT shootout.
Laurier elected to shoot first and captain Nick Vergeer was stopped by Moir. Lakeheads McPherson then was denied by the Hawks MacDougald. It was then up to Lauriers Craig Voakes but Moir stymied him. Then it was the Wolves Sergerie but he couldnt beat MacDougald. Lauriers Rizk then had third shot and he beat Moir with a perfect roof-daddy and it seemed the Hawks may have the win. Then Lakeheads speedy Mark Soares flew in and beat MacDougald with a great fake to even the score.
In the sudden death round, Moir again was huge as he stonewalled the Hawks Magistrale with a quick glove save. It came down to the Wolves Speer and he made no mistake with a great fake and backhander to give the Wolves the win.
The Molsons Three Stars were:
1)Lakehead: Kyle Moir
2)Laurier: Jeff MacDougald
3)Lakehead: Dan Speer
Lakehead sits in first place after Day 2 with four points with Saskatchewan right behind with three. Laurier has two points and Manitobahas one. Lakehead is assured of a spot in the final but the other spot will depend on Mondays results. Laurier plays Manitoba in the TBaytel Varsity Cup Day 3 afternoon game while Lakehead will challenge the No. 3 Saskatchewan Huskies in the night game.
Live stats for all TBaytel Varsity Cup games can be found at http://www.leaguestat.com/tbaytelvc/varsitycup/en/stats/schedule.php
All games are vidcast live with ordering info available at http://events.news-cast.com/events/Lakehead
Video game reports for the night games can be found at www.thunderwolves.ca and www.thunderwolveshockey.com
TBayTel Varsity Cup Photo Gallery available at: http://sharenview.com/default.aspx?aid=119
TBayTel Varsity Cup Schedule:
Dec. 29:
4:00 pm EST: Manitoba vs. Laurier
7:30 pm EST: Saskatchewan vs. Lakehead
Dec. 30:
7:30 pm: Championship Final
Game Summary:
Lakehead University Thunderwolves 4 (OTSO) at Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks 3 - Status: Final SO
Dec 28, 2008 Attendance: 2883
1st Period
Scoring - 1. Lakehead U, B. McPherson (3) (D. Speer, A. Zulyniak) 8:15 PP
2. Lakehead U, A. Sergerie (1) (R. Baird, J. Smith) 13:18
Penalties - D. Welsh Lku (roughing) 3:43, L. Girard Wlu (roughing) 3:43, D. Kivell Lku (tripping) 4:04, G. Sinfield Wlu (interference) 7:22, J. Borrows Wlu (hooking) 9:29, K. Hogg Lku (roughing) 14:54, M. Soares Lku (cross checking) 14:54, N. Peacock Wlu (roughing) 14:54, L. Dubbin Wlu (interference) 17:10
2nd Period
Scoring - 3. Wilfrid Laurier U, M. Voakes (1) (L. Girard, J. Rizk) 8:45 PP
4. Wilfrid Laurier U, P. Magistrale (1) (N. Vergeer, C. Pettipiece) 14:03 PP
5. Wilfrid Laurier U, J. Rizk (1) (M. Voakes) 19:04
Penalties - B. McPherson Lku (hooking) 2:11, A. Alphonso Lku (slashing) 8:09, J. MacDougald Wlu (high sticking) 10:53, M. Soares Lku (interference) 12:27, A. Brown Lku (interference) 18:04, C. Voakes Wlu (hooking) 18:41
3rd Period
Scoring - 6. Lakehead U, D. Speer (1) (B. Wilson, B. McPherson) 17:27 PP
Penalties - B. McPherson Lku (holding) 6:12, L. Girard Wlu (spearing, spearing) 6:47, G. Sinfield Wlu (hooking) 13:27, R. Bernardi Wlu (interference) 17:13
OT Period
Scoring - No Scoring
Penalties - A. Alphonso Lku (roughing) 5:27, J. MacDougald Wlu (roughing) 5:27
Shootout
Round 1 - LKU - Brock McPherson - No
Round 1 - WLU - Nick Vergeer - No
Round 2 - LKU - Adam Sergerie - No
Round 2 - WLU - Craig Voakes - No
Round 3 - LKU - Mark Soares - Yes
Round 3 - WLU - Jean-Michal Rizk - Yes
Round 4 - LKU - Dan Speer - Yes
Round 4 - WLU - Phillip Magistrale - No
LKU Shots: 10 10 12 10 1 TOTAL: 43
WLU Shots: 11 16 5 9 0 TOTAL: 41
Power Play Conversion
Lakehead University Thunderwolves 2-8.
Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks 2-7.
Goaltenders
Lakehead University Thunderwolves
Moir 1-0-0-0 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 70:00 SV: 38 GA: 3 [W]
Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks
MacDougald 0-0-0-1 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 70:00 SV: 39 GA: 3 [SL]