The Lakehead Thunderwolves hockey team will begin its 2011-12 campaign with a two-game home series against the UQTR Patriotes. Game times are 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights at the Fort William Gardens.
Last Time Out
This will be Lakeheads first game since being upset two games to none by the Waterloo Warriors in the OUA quarter-finals last February. Its been a long off-season for the Wolves, and the squad will be anxious to get back on the ice this weekend.
UQTR has played one non-conference game already this season, winning 4-3 at Concordia on September 14.
Series History
UQTR leads the all-time series versus the Thunderwolves, with an 8-4 record dating back to 2001. It was in October of that year when Lakehead played the Patriotes in the first home games the Thunderwolves ever played. The Patriotes were the defending National Champions at the time, but Lakehead was able to manage a split with them that weekend.
The most recent meeting between the two teams came in March of 2010 when Lakehead hosted the CIS University Cup National Championships. The Thunderwolves dominated UQTR in the opening game of round-robin play with a 7-2 win.
Fresh Faces
Lakehead will ice it's youngest teams in years, as the Wolves have ten freshmen in the line-up. Five of the first-year players are defencemen, four are forwards, and one is a goaltender.
The Wolves have added more size to this years roster, particularly on the blue line. The five new D-men are all over six feet tall (ranging from 60 to 65) and four of the new rearguards weigh over 200 pounds.
About the Patriotes
The Patriotes have also won four CIS University Cup National Championships, the most recent one coming in 2002-03.
This years squad is a talented one, with many of the Patriotes having played Major Junior hockey in the QMJHL. Like the Thunderwolves, UQTR has a young team with 12 freshmen on the roster.
UQTR returns its top three scorers from last season; forwards Olivier Donovan and Jean-Sebastian Breton, as well as defenceman Pierre-Luc Lessard.