February 27, 2006 (OUA) - Its one of the most heated rivalries in all of Canadian university sport. Whenever the Laurier Golden Hawks and the Waterloo Warriors meet up, its a passionate battle with more on the line than just a W. The Hawks won the latest battle for University Ave. bragging rights as they bounced the No. 10 Warriors from the OUA hockey playoffs with an exciting 6-4 win in the deciding game of their best-of-three quarter-final series. James Edgar scored both of his goals in third period as Laurier finished strong to end the post-season for their nemesis. Edgar also had an assist for a three-point night, while Richard Colwill scored once and added two assists. Second-year forward Nick Vergeer contributed three assists and goaltender Justin Day made 28 saves for the win between the pipes. Waterloo jumped out to a 2-0 lead on goals from matt Levicki and Sean Roche but Laurier responded with three straight to take a one-goal lead midway through the second period. The Warriors tied it but Edgar iced it for the Hawks, scoring twice in a span of eight minutes 22 seconds to establish a two-goal margin. Mike Della Morra scored twice for Waterloo.
Laurier had to come from a game down to defeat the Warriors as they dropped the series opener 6-2 Wednesday. The teams were tied at 2-2 after 40 minutes of play but Waterloo busted the game open with four goals in the third to walk away with a lopsided victory. Kevin Hurley had two goals and an assist for the Warriors, while Shane Hart and Matt Iannetta chipped in three assists each. Goalie Curtis Darling needed to make just 19 saves to earn the win. The Hawks responded after the loss with a dominating 5-2 win Friday. Vergeer had a goal and an assist, including the winner 41 seconds into the second period. Matt Maccarone also had a goal and an assist for Laurier, while Day come up big with 31 saves after getting shelled in the first game.
Laurier advances to play the Lakehead Thunderwolves in a best-of-three OUA semi-final beginning Wednesday in Waterloo. The Wolves booked a spot in the semis after winning a grueling three-game series against the No. 4 nationally-ranked Western Mustangs. Lakeheads Jason Lange scored twice and Chris Whiteley stopped all 30 shots he faced in a 3-0 win the deciding game at Thompson Arena in London Saturday. The Wolves scored all three goals in the second period, the first of which was Langes winner 3:09 into the frame. Brad Priestlay made it 2-0 minutes later and Lange made it three straight at 12:38, forcing Western goaltender Scott Dickie to the bench. Shandor Elphonso had two assists for Lakehead.
The Wolves kicked off the series in exciting fashion Wednesday as returning forward Mike Action Man Wehrstedt tallied twice, including the crucial equalizer in a 4-3 OT Lakehead win. Wehrstedt, making his first appearance after sitting out a number of games with various injuries, tied the game 1-1 with his first of the night and then scored the lone goal of the third period to send the game to the extra session, where Tobias Whelan iced 8:44 in. Elphonso had a goal and an assist, captain Joel Scherban chipped in two helpers and Grant McCune made 33 saves for the victory. Sal Peralta, Matt Manias and Ryan Waldner scored for the visitors. Western tied the series 1-1 with a big 6-2 win over Lakehead at Thompson Arena Friday. Craig Kennedy scored a natural hat-trick and added an assist for the Mustangs. With Western up 3-2 in the first period, Kennedy scored his teams fourth of the frame at 16:56 and then added goals in both the second and third periods. Jamie Chamberlain had three assists for the Mustangs.
The No. 1 team in the nation, the McGill Redmen, will face the UQTR Patriotes in the other OUA semi-final beginning Wednesday. McGill got a scare after dropping the first game of their quarter-final series with the Ottawa Gee-Gees 2-1 but the powerful Redmen regrouped and took the next two, includin