The Lakehead Thunderwolves edged the Laurier Golden Hawks 3-2 in the regular-season finale at the Sun Life Arena in Waterloo, Ontario Saturday night to secure the Wolves a place in the OUA playoffs.
Lakehead opened the scoring 11:43 into the game on an unassisted goal by Mike Quesnele, who beat Laurier netminder Vinny Merante while the Wolves were short-handed.
Lauriers Tyler Stothers dented the twine behind Lakehead goalie Justin McDonald at 14:12 to even the game at 1-1 after the first period.
Carson Dubchak put the Wolves in front 2-1 after being set up by Luke Maw and Brennen Dubchak at 13:19 of the second period.
Lauriers Derek Schoenmakers replied just over two minutes later while the Golden Hawks were on the power play, but a blast by Nathan Bruyere with only 15 seconds remaining in the period gave Lakehead a 3-2 lead heading into the third.
Bruyeres goal would stand as the winner after a scoreless final frame.
Shots on goal in the game were 30-28 for the Thunderwolves.
Lakehead finishes the OUA regular season in seventh place with a record of 10-14-3, and will meet the second-seeded Western Ontario Mustangs in the first round of the playoffs.
Game #1 of the best-of-three West Division quarter-finals will played at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay on Wednesday night, before the series shifts to London for game #2, and if necessary, game #3 next weekend.