The Lakehead Thunderwolves hockey team will head to London this weekend for a pair of games with the division-leading Western Ontario Mustangs. Game time is 7:35 Friday and Saturday nights at the Thompson Arena, and will be broadcast live on Rock 94.3 FM. This will be the only regular-season meeting between the two teams, as Western does not come to Lakehead this year as part of the OUAs rotating schedule. Both teams are currently ranked in the CIS top ten, with Lakehead ranked #8, and Western Ontario ranked #5 in the country.
Last Time Out
Lakehead is coming off a home sweep of the Windsor Lancers, winning 5-2 last Friday night and 4-2 on Saturday. Western Ontario went one for two last weekend, winning 5-1 at Brock, but then losing 2-1 at home versus Laurier.
Series History
Lakehead is 22-29-1 all-time versus Western Ontario, but in the end got the better of the Mustangs last season. The Wolves were swept 8-3 and 7-2 by the Mustangs in London in early January of 2010, but at the end of that same month, Lakehead dominated Western at home with wins of 4-0 and 8-5.
The two squads met for a third time last March in the West Division Finals, and Lakehead swept the Mustangs once again by scores of 4-1 at home and 5-2 in London to capture the division crown and the right to host the Queens Cup championship game.
Wolves Rolling
Lakehead has won 9 regular-season games in row, the longest winning streak in the entire OUA. With 90 goals for in 18 games, the Wolves are the highest scoring team in the West Division. The Mustangs are right behind in second place in that category, with 85 goals scored.
About the Mustangs
In 18 league games so far, Western Ontario has a record of 14-1-3, good for 31 points tops in the West Division. Up front, they are led by high-scoring forwards Kevin Baker, Keaton Turkiewicz, Aaron Snow, and Kyle Lamb. Defencemen Scott Aarssen and Adam Nemeth are having good seasons, and goaltender Anthony Grieco is one of the top puck-stoppers in the OUA.
Division Lead on the Line
Lakehead currently sits in second place in the OUA West Division standings, 4 points behind the division-leading Mustangs. With 4 points up for grabs this weekend, the outcome of this series could have a major impact on the division standings and playoff seeding. A Lakehead sweep would have both teams tied for first, with the tie-breaker going to the Wolves. A sweep by Western Ontario would all but wrap up the division title for the Mustangs with an eight-point lead. A series split would keep both teams in the hunt for first.