The Lakehead Thunderwolves mens hockey team head to Kitchener-Waterloo this weekend for a two-game series against the Laurier Golden Hawks. Lakehead enters the weekend with a 2-2 conference record (6-5-2 overall) while the Hawks are 2-1-1 in OUA play and 6-4-1 overall.
Both games can be heard in Thunder Bay on 580 CKPR AM radio and online at www.ckpr.com with Bryan Wyatt calling all the action beginning at 7:30 pm EST on Friday and Saturday nights at the Waterloo Recreation Complex.
Lakehead is coming off a two-game away sweep of the Windsor Lancers while the Hawks had a tough weekend in Kingston which saw them lose in OT to Queens and record an OT tie vs. RMC.
Head to Head:
The Thunderwolves are 8-2 against Laurier; 6-2 in OUA play and 2-0 in non-conference action. Lakehead has outscored Laurier 50-25 in those 10 games.
Lakehead Head Coach Pete Belliveau said his team expects a tough series against the Hawks. Coach Steve Martell has done a good recruiting job with the Golden Hawks and they always play us tough in their barn. They have some snipers and their goaltenders are very good. The Hawks use their olympic ice well, turnovers are costly, and you must keep a tight gap or else it could be a long night.
Lakehead 05-06 Results:
Sat Oct 29 Lakehead 3 Windsor 1
Fri Oct 28 Lakehead 3 Windsor 2
Sat Oct 22 Windsor 2 Lakehead 1
Fri Oct 21 Windsor 5 Lakehead 4
Sat Oct 15 Saskatchewan 7 Lakehead 5 NC
Fri Oct 14 Saskatchewan 4 Lakehead 2 NC
Mon Oct 10 Lakehead 2 Air Force 2 EX OT TIE
Sun Oct 9 Lakehead 5 Colorado College 5 EX OT TIE
Sat Oct 8 Denver 7 Lakehead 1 EX
Sat Oct 1 Lakehead 6 Saint Mary's 4 NC
Fri Sep 30 Lakehead 4 Saint Mary's 2 NC
Sat Sep 24 Lakehead 6 Manitoba 4 NC
Fri Sep 23 Lakehead 4 Manitoba 1 NC
The Thunderwolves played a very gritty series last weekend vs. the Lancers and worked on playing strong positional play and team defense. Lakehead Captain Joel Scherban currently is tied for the Lakehead All-Time scoring mark of 226 and so Thunderwolves fans are hoping that he will set the new mark this weekend against Laurier. Scherban is also 8th in OUA scoring with 4 goals and 2 assists. Good news for Lakehead fans is that speedster Jeff Richards will be playing after serving a three-game suspension. His offense could be key this weekend as he should be rejoining Scherban and Andrew Brown on the first line.
The Thunderwolves saw strong two-way play from the third line of Mike Wehrstedt, Brad Priestlay, and Mark Robinson last weekend vs. Windsor and their improved play makes Lakehead a much more dangerous team. The second line of Peter Cava, Jason Lange, and Murray Magill will also be counted on to continue their effective play from last weekend.
The defensive corps was also strong last week, and along with goaltender Chris Whitley, limited Windsor to three goals in two games. Defensemen Erik Lodge and Mike Jacobsen provided much needed offense last weekend and other d-men Mike Self, Matt Jacques, and Drew Kivell also played better last weekend. Whitley has a 2-2 OUA record with a GAA of 2.38 and a save percentage of .914.
Tobias Whelan remains sidelined with a lower body injury while Steve Rawski remains day to day. Goalie Grant McCune is fit again and may see action this weekend against the Hawks.
Laurier Golden Hawks
2005-06 Results:
Sat Oct 29 Queen's 3 Laurier 2 OL
Fri Oct 28 Laurier 3 RMC 3 OT TIE
Sat Oct 22 Laurier 7 Ryerson 1
Fri Oct 21 Laurier 5 Toronto 2
Sat Oct 15 Elmira College 3 Laurier 2 EX OT
Sat Oct 8 McGill 13 Laurier 4 NC
Fri Oct 7 Laurier 3 UQTR 1 NC
Sat Oct 1 Laurier 5 York 2 NC
Sun Oct 2 Laurier 2 Ottawa 1 NC
Sat Sep 24 Laurier 9 Tillsonburg Sr 2 EX
Fri Sep 23 Brantford Sr 6 Laurier 2 EX
The Gold