The Lakehead Thunderwolves earned a weekend split with the No. 6 Waterloo Warriors as the Wolves shut out the Warriors 3-0 Saturday night in a hard-fought game at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is now 12-5-2-1 in OUA play (15-12-2-1 overall) while Waterloo goes to 16-3-1 record (19-7-1 overall).
Lakeheads goals came from Brad Priestlay, Richard Molenaar, and Andy Zulyniak. Chris Whitley recorded the shutout in the Lakehead net and played perhaps his best game of the season; a good sign for the Wolves as they enter the stretch run of the regular season. The Wolves also played solid team defense in the shutout win.
The win was even sweeter for the Wolves as both Captain Jeff Richards and leading scorer Tobias Whelan did not play due to injury or illness. Lakehead outshot Waterloo 34-28 in the game. Both teams were assessed a lot of penalties; 13 minors to Waterloo (one five minute major, two ten minute misconducts, one game misconduct) and 10 minors to Lakehead (one five minute major, one ten minute misconduct, one game misconduct). Lakehead scored once on the powerplay.
The first period was a fairly even affair with neither team generating any really dangerous chances and Waterloo outshooting Lakehead 12-11. The period was punctuated by a melee between Lakeheads Drew Kivelll and Waterloos Joel Olszowka.
The Wolves came alive in the second period which saw them outshoot Waterloo 15-5. Priestlay opened the scoring at 5:38 when he used a Waterloo d-man as a screen a fired a quick snap shot that fooled Waterloo netminder Curtis Darling; beating the goaltender just between the left pad and goalie stick. Lakehead made it 2-0 at 13:47 when a centering pass from Matt Maissoneuve deflected off a Warrior d-mans stick, and then off Molenaars leg and into the goal.
The third period saw more penalties and then Zulyniak converted a great give-and-go play with Andrew Brown and Zulyniak scored his first goal as a Thunderwolf at 8:50 on the powerplay. Waterloo had some good chances of their own on the powerplay but Lakeheads Whitley made a series of good saves to preserve the shutout and deny the Warriors. Waterloo outshot Lakehead 11-8 in the third.
The Molsons Three Stars, as chosen by Jonas Gilbart of Thunder Bay Television, were:
1)Lakehead: Chris Whitley
2)Lakehead: Andy Zulyniak
3)Lakehead: Mike Self
Lakehead is on the road next weekend when they challenge the Western Mustangs in London.