The Lakehead Thunderwolves hockey team got off to a fast start and then hung on for a 4-3 win over the Windsor Lancers Friday night at the Windsor Arena.
The Thunderwolves opened up a three-goal lead before the midway mark of the first period, with Andrew Wilkins scoring first on the powerplay from Mike Quesnele and Trevor Gamache at 2:29. Ryan McDonald scored less than a minute later after being set-up by Chris de la Lande and Mike Hammond, and then at 7:29 Quesnele scored a goal assisted by McDonald and Mitch Fillman.
At that point it looked like it might be an easy night for the Thunderwolves, but that turned out not to be the case.
Windsor got on the board with its first of three powerplay goals on the night when Cory McGillis beat Alex Dupuis with a 5-on-3 advantage. The first period ended with Lakehead up 3-1, after outshooting Windsor 14-10.
The second period remaining scoreless until Adam Sergerie beat Windsor netminder Parker Van Buskirk at 17:19 to give the Wolves a 4-1 lead heading into the third. Windsor narrowly outshot Lakehead 11-10 in the middle stanza.
Penalties hurt Lakehead in the third period, as Windsors Spencer Pommels notched a powerplay marker at 5:15 to make it a 4-2 game. The Lancers added another goal with the extra man with only six seconds remaining on a blast by Brent Oliphant, but it was too little, too late for Windsor.
Windsor outshot Lakehead 9-7 in the final frame, but the Wolves edged the Lancers 31-30 in shots on goal for the game.
The win was Lakeheads tenth in the last eleven games, and allowed the Wolves to keep pace with Western Ontario for the lead in the OUA West Division.
Lakehead and Windsor will take to the ice again tomorrow night beginning at 7:30, with the game being broadcast live on Rock 94 FM.