February 28, 2006
LAKEHEAD GEARS UP FOR HAWKS
THUNDER BAY - The Lakehead Thunderwolves men's hockey team begin their best-of-three OUA semi-final series Wednesday night at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay against a very tough opponent; the Laurier Golden Hawks. Game two, and three if necessary, will be played in Waterloo this weekend at the Waterloo Recreation Complex. The winner of this semi-final is guaranteed a spot in the CIS National Championships in Edmonton later in March while the loser will still get a shot through the OUA Bronze Medal game as the OUA sends three teams to the six-team nationals this year.
Wednesday's game from Thunder Bay starts at 7:30 pm ET and will be videowebcast live with ordering info available at www.thunderwolveshockey.com. The games in Waterloo will be carried live in Thunder Bay on 580 CKPR AM and online at www.ckpr.com with Bryan Wyatt calling all the action.
The Thunderwolves are coming off a hard-fought 2-1 OUA quarter-final playoff win over the No. 4 Western Mustangs, while Laurier had an equally tough battle as they defeated the No. 10 Waterloo Warriors 2-1 in their OUA quarter-final series. Lakehead enters the series with 17-10-2 OUA mark (4-1 playoffs) and 21-16-4 overall, while Laurier is 15-9-3 in OUA play (2-1 playoffs) and 19-13-2 overall.
Lakehead was tied for eight in CIS regular season play in goals for at 3.6 per game, while Laurier was tied for ninth at 3.5. Lakehead was tied for fifth in CIS regular season goals allowed at 2.5 per game, while Laurier was 10th at 3.2. Lakehead has scored 3.6 goals per game in the playoffs and allowed 3.2, while Laurier has scored 4.33 and allowed 4 per game.
The ability to win on the road could decide this series as Lakehead has not lost a home playoff game in their five seasons in the OUA (each year making the playoffs and winning at least one round) at the Fort William Gardens, while the Hawks are 14-2 at the Waterloo Recreation Complex this season.
Lakehead Head Coach Pete Belliveau said his team knows what is at stake in this series against a very strong Laurier team. "Laurier is the most improved team in the OUA West,\" he said. \"They are a fast team with great transition play, solid defense, and strong goaltending. Coach Martell has done a great job of putting a solid team together and this series should be an exciting battle."
Head to Head:
Lakehead is 9-3 against Laurier all time; 7-3 in regular season play and 2-0 in non-conference play. The two teams split their two regular season games played in Waterloo this season; a 3-0 Lakehead win and a 5-2 Laurier victory. Lakehead has outscored Laurier 55-30 in their 12 previous meetings.
Lakehead Thunderwolves:
Lakehead Captain Joel Scherban (19 goals, 16 assists OUA games) will need to be a steadying influence on his squad as the are so close to a berth at the nationals. Scherban's experience and leadership will be key this series as will the play of fellow fifth -ear senior defenseman Erik Lodge (five goals, 11 assists).
Lakehead star forward Jeff Richards (11 goals, 13 assists) is listed as questionable for the Laurier series and his return would be quite a boost. Senior Jason Lange (10 goals, 12 assists) played phenomenal hockey against Western and he will again be a crucial key to the Wolves success in this series. High-energy forward Mike Wehrstedt (seven goals, eight assists) also made quite an impact upon his return from injury for the Western series and has scored three goals so far in the playoffs.
The younger players stepped it up again in the Western series with players like Tobias Whelan (five goals, six assists), Brad Priestlay (four goals, six assists), Dan Speer (five goals, 10 assists), and Andrew Brown (five goals, six assists) playing great two-way hockey. Mark Robinson (eight goals, eight assists) again played fantastic hockey against the Mustangs and Lakehead fans will look for him to continue this way against the Hawks.
Offensive D-men Mike Jacobsen (seven goals, 15 assists) Matt Jacques (four goals, eight assists) will be key as will fellow D-men Hugo Lehoux, Drew Kivell (eight assists), Mike Self, and Dan Rogers. Steve Rawski should also be ready to go for the series.
Goaltenders Grant McCune (Reg. Season 6-6, GAA 2.94, SV% .899: Playoffs: 1-1, GAA 3.75, SV% .891) and Chris Whitley (7-3-2, GAA 2.05, SV% .925; Playoffs: 1-0; GAA .76; SV% .973) played well against Western, each earning a win in that series and they again will be key against the Hawks.
Laurier Golden Hawks:
Head coach Steve Martell has had his Hawks playing great hockey all year and they have been especially tough since the beginning of the second half of the regular season. The Hawks have a lot of scoring depth led by Nick Vergeer (10 goals, 20 assists), sniper Richard Colwill (13 goals, nine assists), Matt Grennier (nine goals, 14 assists), Mark Voakes (10 goals, nine assists), James Edgar (seven goals, 11 assists), Matt Maccarone (three goals, 13 assists) and Dan Erman (five goals, 10 assists),
Voakes, Edgar, and Colwill played very well in the Waterloo series and the Wolves will have to play strong defense to contain them. Others who can supply offense are Riley Moher, Rob Dmytruk and Ryan Courtney.
Justin Day (11-4-1 reg. season; 2-1 playoffs; Reg. Season GAA of 2.87; SV% .920; Playoff GAA of 4.00) is the main man between the pipes for the Hawks and is ably backed by Ed Van Herpt and Aaron MacDougald.
(Source: Mike Aylward, Lakehead Sports Information.)
(Photo: Lakehead forward Andrew Brown parks in front of the net in a game with Guelph earlier this year. The Wolves host the Laurier Golden Hawks in game one of their best-of-three semi-final series beginning Wednesday. Photo by Mike Aylward.)
Wednesday's game from Thunder Bay starts at 7:30 pm ET and will be videowebcast live with ordering info available at www.thunderwolveshockey.com. The games in Waterloo will be carried live in Thunder Bay on 580 CKPR AM and online at www.ckpr.com with Bryan Wyatt calling all the action.
The Thunderwolves are coming off a hard-fought 2-1 OUA quarter-final playoff win over the No. 4 Western Mustangs, while Laurier had an equally tough battle as they defeated the No. 10 Waterloo Warriors 2-1 in their OUA quarter-final series. Lakehead enters the series with 17-10-2 OUA mark (4-1 playoffs) and 21-16-4 overall, while Laurier is 15-9-3 in OUA play (2-1 playoffs) and 19-13-2 overall.
Lakehead was tied for eight in CIS regular season play in goals for at 3.6 per game, while Laurier was tied for ninth at 3.5. Lakehead was tied for fifth in CIS regular season goals allowed at 2.5 per game, while Laurier was 10th at 3.2. Lakehead has scored 3.6 goals per game in the playoffs and allowed 3.2, while Laurier has scored 4.33 and allowed 4 per game.
The ability to win on the road could decide this series as Lakehead has not lost a home playoff game in their five seasons in the OUA (each year making the playoffs and winning at least one round) at the Fort William Gardens, while the Hawks are 14-2 at the Waterloo Recreation Complex this season.
Lakehead Head Coach Pete Belliveau said his team knows what is at stake in this series against a very strong Laurier team. "Laurier is the most improved team in the OUA West,\" he said. \"They are a fast team with great transition play, solid defense, and strong goaltending. Coach Martell has done a great job of putting a solid team together and this series should be an exciting battle."
Head to Head:
Lakehead is 9-3 against Laurier all time; 7-3 in regular season play and 2-0 in non-conference play. The two teams split their two regular season games played in Waterloo this season; a 3-0 Lakehead win and a 5-2 Laurier victory. Lakehead has outscored Laurier 55-30 in their 12 previous meetings.
Lakehead Thunderwolves:
Lakehead Captain Joel Scherban (19 goals, 16 assists OUA games) will need to be a steadying influence on his squad as the are so close to a berth at the nationals. Scherban's experience and leadership will be key this series as will the play of fellow fifth -ear senior defenseman Erik Lodge (five goals, 11 assists).
Lakehead star forward Jeff Richards (11 goals, 13 assists) is listed as questionable for the Laurier series and his return would be quite a boost. Senior Jason Lange (10 goals, 12 assists) played phenomenal hockey against Western and he will again be a crucial key to the Wolves success in this series. High-energy forward Mike Wehrstedt (seven goals, eight assists) also made quite an impact upon his return from injury for the Western series and has scored three goals so far in the playoffs.
The younger players stepped it up again in the Western series with players like Tobias Whelan (five goals, six assists), Brad Priestlay (four goals, six assists), Dan Speer (five goals, 10 assists), and Andrew Brown (five goals, six assists) playing great two-way hockey. Mark Robinson (eight goals, eight assists) again played fantastic hockey against the Mustangs and Lakehead fans will look for him to continue this way against the Hawks.
Offensive D-men Mike Jacobsen (seven goals, 15 assists) Matt Jacques (four goals, eight assists) will be key as will fellow D-men Hugo Lehoux, Drew Kivell (eight assists), Mike Self, and Dan Rogers. Steve Rawski should also be ready to go for the series.
Goaltenders Grant McCune (Reg. Season 6-6, GAA 2.94, SV% .899: Playoffs: 1-1, GAA 3.75, SV% .891) and Chris Whitley (7-3-2, GAA 2.05, SV% .925; Playoffs: 1-0; GAA .76; SV% .973) played well against Western, each earning a win in that series and they again will be key against the Hawks.
Laurier Golden Hawks:
Head coach Steve Martell has had his Hawks playing great hockey all year and they have been especially tough since the beginning of the second half of the regular season. The Hawks have a lot of scoring depth led by Nick Vergeer (10 goals, 20 assists), sniper Richard Colwill (13 goals, nine assists), Matt Grennier (nine goals, 14 assists), Mark Voakes (10 goals, nine assists), James Edgar (seven goals, 11 assists), Matt Maccarone (three goals, 13 assists) and Dan Erman (five goals, 10 assists),
Voakes, Edgar, and Colwill played very well in the Waterloo series and the Wolves will have to play strong defense to contain them. Others who can supply offense are Riley Moher, Rob Dmytruk and Ryan Courtney.
Justin Day (11-4-1 reg. season; 2-1 playoffs; Reg. Season GAA of 2.87; SV% .920; Playoff GAA of 4.00) is the main man between the pipes for the Hawks and is ably backed by Ed Van Herpt and Aaron MacDougald.
(Source: Mike Aylward, Lakehead Sports Information.)
(Photo: Lakehead forward Andrew Brown parks in front of the net in a game with Guelph earlier this year. The Wolves host the Laurier Golden Hawks in game one of their best-of-three semi-final series beginning Wednesday. Photo by Mike Aylward.)
