THUNDER BAY – SPORTS – The Lakehead Thunderwolves hockey team is out to rebound from last night in a game where they were out shot and outscored 4-2 by the Lethbridge Pronghorns.
The T-Wolves were off to a fast start Saturday night. The Wolves got off to a two goal lead.
Patrick Murphy opened the scoring at 8:29 of the first period on a goal assisted by Grant Valliquette and Zach Whitlock.
Evan Mignault extended the Wolves’ lead to 2-0 when he fired the puck past Lethbridge netminder Garret Hughson at 13:37 while Lakehead held the man-advantage, with Brennen Dubchak and Matt Alexander getting the assists.
The first period was a feisty affair with hard skating and solid play on both sides. The Pronghorns took the game to the Thunderwolves, but the Wolves were able to get on the scoresheet first.
A scramble in front of Devin Green with 3:13 left in the first allowed the Pronghoms to score on the power play as #19 Justin Valentino and assisted by #14 Ryon Moser and #4 Blake Orban put the puck between the pipes.
With 2:52 left in the first the Pronghorns tied the game at a pair apiece. The goal scored by #7 Spenser Jensen.
The Thunderwolves started to fall into the penalty trap that got them into trouble on Friday night.
After One Period Shots on Goal: 12 T-Wolves and 15 Pronghorns
Both teams played end to end through the second period.
The Pronghorns took a 3-2 lead with 4:20 left in the second. A pretty pass led to the puck being lofted over a sprawling Devin Green left alone to defend the net.
Shots on Goal after Two Period Thunderwolves 25 and Lethbridge Pronghorns 28.
The third period will decide the game. If the Pronghorns can keep the play at the same kind of fast pace they did last night where they seemed to have a higher octane in their tank.
At 1:57 #15 Tim Campbell for Lethbridge was penalized for slashing. The T-Wolves took no time at all to tie the game up with a power play goal scored by #16 Dylan Butler at 2:15 of the period. Assists on the goal came from defenseman #3 Justin Sefton, and #24 forward Kelton Ainsworth.
Butler played a very solid game for the Wolves.
The Pronghorns drew another penalty at 6:45 with #18 getting two minutes in the sin bin for boarding.
The Thunderwolves had their fans howling at 13:39 with a waved off goal as the puck went in the net but was a result of the net being lifted off its moorings.
#57 Carson Dubchak then thrilled the crowd with a solid body check that put the Pronghorns player into the visitor’s bench.
Lethbridge then took a 4-3 lead on a goal by Mitch Maxwell.
The Thunderwolves tried to push to tie, pulling Green from the net. Despite a number of tried, including bouncing the puck off a stick on the ice, Lethbridge scored on the empty net, seeming putting the ice on the game.
However with 39.6 seconds left Lakehead got the puck behind #29 Garret Hughson, and made the fans happy. And made the last forty seconds worth staying behind to watch the final. #19 Matt Whitlock scored his first goal as a Thunderwolf in keeping the score close.
The Wolves pushed hard but the clock ran out with a valiant scoring chance with 1.5 seconds left.
Final Score: Lethbridge 5 – Thunderwolves 4.
Game Notes:
Molson Three Stars;
- Dylan Butler, Lakehead
- Mitch Maxwell, Lethbridge
- Zach Whitlock, Lakehead
The Thunderwolves were without their top sniper Billy Jenkins who was out with an ankle injury suffered on Friday night.
2070 fans were in attendance for tonight’s game.
The Thunderwolves will take on the University of Manitoba Bisons on Fort William Gardens Ice on October 7-8th.
