Sports

Golden Hawks edge Thunderwolves

Lakehead eliminated from OUA playoffs; will wait for Nationals

By Mike St. Jean

Many Thunderwolves men’s hockey fans knew that defeating the division rival Laurier Golden Hawks in their second round, best-of-three playoff series could be easier said than done. Unfortunately for Lakehead, the OUA Far West Division Champions got the better of them, eliminating the Wolves with a 4-3 victory in Game 3 on Sunday night in Waterloo.

It was a hard fought series for both teams, with game one of the series, which was held in Thunder Bay, going into a second overtime period before Mitch Maunu scored the game winner to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead in the series, which would shift east for games two and three.

The Golden Hawks returned to Waterloo for game two looking to tie the series on home ice. For the second game in a row, extra time would be needed, this time with the Hawks recording a 3-2 victory and tying the series up at 1-1, paving way for their dramatic third game victory.

The loss could not have come at a worse time for the Wolves. Key players, such as Tobias Whelan and Shandor Alphonso, who scored a goal in the second game of the series, had returned to the team after missing a great deal of time due to injuries suffered this season. It was expected that these players would help the team by adding a great deal of grit and leadership that had been missing since they have been absent from the active roster.
With the loss on Sunday, the Wolves finish the playoffs with a 3-2 record, with two of their wins coming against the Waterloo Warriors, whom they eliminated in the first round.

The Golden Hawks, on the other hand, now sit at 2-1 in playoff action. Laurier benefited from finishing first in the OUA Far West Division this season, giving them an automatic bye for the first round of the OUA playoffs. The Hawks will continue their chase for the Queen’s Cup next week against the Western Mustangs, who eliminated the York Lions in two games.

Although the Thunderwolves have been eliminated from OUA Playoff action, the team’s season is far from over, thanks to Lakehead University hosting the 2009 CIS University Cup at their home rink, the Fort William Gardens, from March 26 to 29. The Wolves get an automatic seat in the tournament as hosts, which gives the squad nearly an entire month off from competing in CIS sanctioned games.

Although the break will allow the players to rest and recovery from any injuries before the big tournament, Thunderwolves Head Coach Don Mckee will have his work cut out for him to ensure the team will not be hindered due to their lack of competition while the tournaments other participants were battling through their respective playoff match-ups.