The Lakehead Thunderwolves completed the sweep of the Toronto Varsity Blues with a 10-0 win before a crowd of 2923 fans Saturday night at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay. The win gives Lakehead an 8-3-1 OUA record (11-6-3 overall) and drops Toronto to 0-11-1 in conference play (1-14-2 overall).
The Wolves were led by Jason Lange with two goals and two assists, Joel Scherban and Peter Cava with 2 goals and 1 assist each, Matt Jacques with 2 goals, Jeff Richards with 4 assists, Murray Magill with 3 assists, and Drew Kivell and Dan Rogers with 2 assists each. Single goals came from Mark Robinson and Mike Jacobsen who also added an assist. Grant McCune recorded the shutoutfor Lakehead as his team outshot Toronto 47-27.
Play was fast for the first four minutes with neither team coming close. Lakehead took a minor at 4:25. The Wolves kept the Blues pinned in their own end for most of the penalty kill. Lakeheads Jason Lange fed Mark Robinson a lovely pass in the left circle and Robinson blasted the puck over Toronto netminder Ryan Grinnells left shoulder at 7:20. The other assist went to Mike Self. That goal caused a blizzard of stuffed toys to rain down from the crowd as it was the annual Thunderwolves CIBC Christmas Teddy Bear Toss with all the toys going to needy children this Christmas.
Lakeheads Dan Speer delivered a big hit on Torontos Andrew Jakubaitis in the Blues end at 8:50. The Wolves went on the powerplay at 10:00 and put on the pressure. Toronto took another minor at 10:43 giving Lakehead a 5-on-3. The Wolves fired the puck multiple times over and by the Toronto net and controlled play but only managed two shots on goal that Grinnell handled. The Blues went on the powerplay at 16:03 but couldnt get anything going due to strong Wolves forechecking. Shots in the first were 11-5 Lakehead.
Play was again fast in the second and the Thunderwolves pressed for the first five minutes. Torontos Anthony Pallotta had a good chance at 5:30 but Lakehead netminder Grant McCune deflected the puck wide. Lakehead made it 2-0 at 6:22 on a beautiful goal by Peter Cava. Jeff Richards made a falling backhanded pass to Cava streaking in at a sharp angle and Cava somehow cut in and roofed it just under the crossbar over Grinnells left shoulder. Play got a little testy over the next few minutes with a lot of pushing and shoving taking place. Lakehead went on the powerplay at 10:28 but couldnt get anything going early.
The Blues took another minor and went down two men at 12:14 for 14 seconds. The first Toronto player came out of the box and then the second but just as he did Lakeheads Mike Jacobsen fired a low wrist shot from the point that beat Grinnell at 14:17. Assists went to Jeff Richards and Peter Cava. Toronto went on the powerplay at 15:01 but it was the Wolves striking quickly when Richards found Joel Scherban in front of the Blues goal and the Lakehead Captain deflected the pass in at 15:18 shorthanded. The Wolves took another penalty going two men down and the Blues pressed. Lakeheads McCune made a nice pad save off Torontos Julian Sarraino at the end of the penalty. Lakehead then went on the powerplay with just under two minutes left and Jason Lange fired a one-timer from almost the back red line at 19:46 that was the end of a lovely passing play from Murray Magill and Dan Rogers.
Sides evened up but Lakehead kept the Blues pinned in their end and Mike Jacobsen parked behind the net and fed the puck to Scherban in the slot and the Lakehead Captain one-timed it past Grinnell at 56 seconds. The other assist went to Drew Kivell. Lakeheads Cava then scored another beautiful goal at 4:16 when he was hit by a pass by Richards and Cava cut back in front of the net, hesitated, and roofed it again just under the crossbar. The other assist went to xx. Lakehead made it 8-0 at 4:53 when Matt Jacques banged it in assisted by Jason Lange and M