March 6, 2006
WOLVES ADVANCE TO QUEEN'S CUP
WATERLOO - The Lakehead Thunderwolves have finally reached the coveted stage of the Queen's Cup. After three straight years of bowing out in the Ontario University Athletics men's hockey semi-finals, the Wolves took the next step with a gutsy 4-2 over the host Laurier Golden Hawks Sunday night to clinch their best-of-three semi-final series 2-1, earning a berth in both the OUA championship game and a trip to Nationals in Edmonton later on this month.
Lakehead will face the No. 2 nationally-ranked McGill Redmen for the Queen's Cup in Thunder Bay Saturday, March 11 at 7:30 pm.
"The guys in this room have battled so hard all year," said relieved Lakehead captain Joel Scherban. "I'm so happy not only for myself but everyone here. For me, it's a little bit special. It's gonna be my last game ever in Thunder Bay in front of my family so I'm just thrilled right now."
Chris Whitley stood tall in the Lakehead net, stopping 24 of the 26 shots he faced, while efenceman Mike Jacobsen came up with two huge goals on blasts from the point.
The Wolves overcame an undisciplined first period that featured five Laurier power plays to score three goals in the decisive second period. Jacobsen, centre Tobias Whelan and rookie surprise Dan Speer all scored in a five-minute, one-second span in the second, while Jacobsen put the game away with his second of the night when he hammered a shot past Laurier goaltender Justin Day at 13:24 of the third period to re-establish a two-goal cushion for the Wolves.
"That's a pro goal," Wolves head coach Pete Belliveau said of Jacobsen's second tally. "Nobody can stop that puck. Jake can shoot the puck and that was a pretty nice goal."
Luke Girard and captain Richard Colwill scored for the Hawks.
The visiting Wolves never panicked after taking five minors without allowing the Hawks to capitalize on the man advantage in a sloppy, turnover-filled opening 20 minutes. Midway through the third period, with Lakehead leading 3-2, Laurier had another glorious chance to tie the game with a full two-minute five-on-three power play after Jacobsen and defenceman Daniel Rogers were both whistled for roughing minors. The Wolves allowed just two shots in the extended man advantage before Jacobsen made up for the penalty with his blast from the point. The sharp special teams unit held Laurier to one goal in 11 power-play attempts.
"Our PK played amazing tonight," said Speer, a first-year forward and Thunder Bay native. "Chris Whitley was unbelievable. It was a solid team effort - when we needed defence we got it, when we needed some goals, we got some goals."
"We had a lot of momentum in the first," said Laurier head coach Steve Martell. "We generated a lot of offence and couldn't capitalize on our chances. That's hockey. After the first period, we were positive about what we were bringing but then there's two or three bad bounces, and that's the hockey game."
After getting out of the first unscathed, Lakehead went to work on its own power play. The Hawks took three straight minors in a span of one minute and 16 seconds, which the Wolves exploited when Jacobsen's point shot found the back of the net at 11:46 of the second period. Laurier replied after Girard took a perfect feed up the middle from defenceman Jordan Fair and went in on a breakaway, beating Whitley with a quick, hard shot. But Whelan and Speer picked up back-to-back unassisted goals after the Hawks coverage in front of Day broke down, allowing the visitors to build a two-goal lead.
"We didn't get rattled when they tied it," said Belliveau. "We came back and scored two quick goals. We knew we weren't going to keep them off the board. We just had to keep pressing."
Laurier got the start they were looking for in third as Colwill brought them to within one goal on a Hawks power play just 31 seconds into the third, though they squandered a huge opportunity when they couldn't get many pucks to the net on the two-minute five-on-three later in the frame.
Lakehead got through the semi-final round for the first time in the past four seasons. The Wolves used the momentum of upsetting the No. 4 Western Mustangs in the quarter-finals to build a 1-0 lead in the series with a 4-1 win Wednesday in Thunder Bay. Laurier responded well with a 4-4 victory at the Waterloo Recreation Complex Friday, extending the best-of-three to a deciding game. The loss was a wake-up for the Wolves.
"Friday night, we took it a little lightly," admitted Speer. "Laurier has a great hockey team. If you're not going to work hard against them, you're not going to get the results. We played just like we did when we had to eliminate Western."
The Hawks, who haven't been to the Queen's Cup since the 1989/90 season, still have a shot at Nationals as they get set to face the UQTR Patriotes for the OUA bronze medal next Saturday (March 11, 2:00 pm at Trois Rivieres). The winner of that game will join Lakehead and McGill in Edmonton as the third OUA berth.
"There's no way to describe it," said Girard. "We're just devastated. We have another road to get to Nationals - it's just more winding. It's a harder road but we're going to get there."
GAME SUMMARY
First Period
No scoring.
Penalties_ Speer Lakehead (high-sticking) 3:22, Lodge Lakehead (hooking) 9:12, Self Lakehead (high-sticking) 10:49, Courtney Lakehead (charging) 15:40, Richards Lakehead (hooking) 16:06, Kivell Lakehead (interference) 18:40
Second Period
1. Lakehead, Jacobsen (Lodge, Richards) 11:46 (pp)
2. Laurier, Girard (Fair, Grandfield) 14:08
3. Lakehead, Whelan (unassisted) 14:35
4. Lakehead, Speer (unassisted) 16:47
Penalties_ Grover Laurier (interference) 10:04, Moher Laurier (holding-the-stick) 11:08, Vergeer Laurier (high-sticking) 11:20, Speer Lakehead (hooking) 18:48
Third Period
5. Laurier, Colwill (Giard, Vergeer) 0:31 (pp)
6. Lakehead, Jacobsen (Lange, Wehrstedt) 13:24
Penalties_ Jacobsen Lakehead (roughing), Rogers Lakehead (roughing) 9:58, Brown Lakehead (cross-checking) 15:22, Richards Lakehead (hooking) 19:35
Shots on goal by
Lakehead 3-16-4 _23
Laurier 9-6-11 _26
Goal (shots-saves)_Lakehead: Whitley (26-24) (W, 2-1 in series); Laurier: Day (23-19) (L, 1-2 in series)
Power plays (goals-chances)_ Lakehead: 1-5; Laurier: 1-11
- OUA -
<(Photo: Lakehead hero Mike Jacobsen ties up Laurier forward Joseph Glover in the Wolves 4-2 game three semi-final win in Waterloo Sunday. Jacobsen scored twice for the visitors. Photo by Mike Whitehouse.)
Lakehead will face the No. 2 nationally-ranked McGill Redmen for the Queen's Cup in Thunder Bay Saturday, March 11 at 7:30 pm.
"The guys in this room have battled so hard all year," said relieved Lakehead captain Joel Scherban. "I'm so happy not only for myself but everyone here. For me, it's a little bit special. It's gonna be my last game ever in Thunder Bay in front of my family so I'm just thrilled right now."
Chris Whitley stood tall in the Lakehead net, stopping 24 of the 26 shots he faced, while efenceman Mike Jacobsen came up with two huge goals on blasts from the point.
The Wolves overcame an undisciplined first period that featured five Laurier power plays to score three goals in the decisive second period. Jacobsen, centre Tobias Whelan and rookie surprise Dan Speer all scored in a five-minute, one-second span in the second, while Jacobsen put the game away with his second of the night when he hammered a shot past Laurier goaltender Justin Day at 13:24 of the third period to re-establish a two-goal cushion for the Wolves.
"That's a pro goal," Wolves head coach Pete Belliveau said of Jacobsen's second tally. "Nobody can stop that puck. Jake can shoot the puck and that was a pretty nice goal."
Luke Girard and captain Richard Colwill scored for the Hawks.
The visiting Wolves never panicked after taking five minors without allowing the Hawks to capitalize on the man advantage in a sloppy, turnover-filled opening 20 minutes. Midway through the third period, with Lakehead leading 3-2, Laurier had another glorious chance to tie the game with a full two-minute five-on-three power play after Jacobsen and defenceman Daniel Rogers were both whistled for roughing minors. The Wolves allowed just two shots in the extended man advantage before Jacobsen made up for the penalty with his blast from the point. The sharp special teams unit held Laurier to one goal in 11 power-play attempts.
"Our PK played amazing tonight," said Speer, a first-year forward and Thunder Bay native. "Chris Whitley was unbelievable. It was a solid team effort - when we needed defence we got it, when we needed some goals, we got some goals."
"We had a lot of momentum in the first," said Laurier head coach Steve Martell. "We generated a lot of offence and couldn't capitalize on our chances. That's hockey. After the first period, we were positive about what we were bringing but then there's two or three bad bounces, and that's the hockey game."
After getting out of the first unscathed, Lakehead went to work on its own power play. The Hawks took three straight minors in a span of one minute and 16 seconds, which the Wolves exploited when Jacobsen's point shot found the back of the net at 11:46 of the second period. Laurier replied after Girard took a perfect feed up the middle from defenceman Jordan Fair and went in on a breakaway, beating Whitley with a quick, hard shot. But Whelan and Speer picked up back-to-back unassisted goals after the Hawks coverage in front of Day broke down, allowing the visitors to build a two-goal lead.
"We didn't get rattled when they tied it," said Belliveau. "We came back and scored two quick goals. We knew we weren't going to keep them off the board. We just had to keep pressing."
Laurier got the start they were looking for in third as Colwill brought them to within one goal on a Hawks power play just 31 seconds into the third, though they squandered a huge opportunity when they couldn't get many pucks to the net on the two-minute five-on-three later in the frame.
Lakehead got through the semi-final round for the first time in the past four seasons. The Wolves used the momentum of upsetting the No. 4 Western Mustangs in the quarter-finals to build a 1-0 lead in the series with a 4-1 win Wednesday in Thunder Bay. Laurier responded well with a 4-4 victory at the Waterloo Recreation Complex Friday, extending the best-of-three to a deciding game. The loss was a wake-up for the Wolves.
"Friday night, we took it a little lightly," admitted Speer. "Laurier has a great hockey team. If you're not going to work hard against them, you're not going to get the results. We played just like we did when we had to eliminate Western."
The Hawks, who haven't been to the Queen's Cup since the 1989/90 season, still have a shot at Nationals as they get set to face the UQTR Patriotes for the OUA bronze medal next Saturday (March 11, 2:00 pm at Trois Rivieres). The winner of that game will join Lakehead and McGill in Edmonton as the third OUA berth.
"There's no way to describe it," said Girard. "We're just devastated. We have another road to get to Nationals - it's just more winding. It's a harder road but we're going to get there."
GAME SUMMARY
First Period
No scoring.
Penalties_ Speer Lakehead (high-sticking) 3:22, Lodge Lakehead (hooking) 9:12, Self Lakehead (high-sticking) 10:49, Courtney Lakehead (charging) 15:40, Richards Lakehead (hooking) 16:06, Kivell Lakehead (interference) 18:40
Second Period
1. Lakehead, Jacobsen (Lodge, Richards) 11:46 (pp)
2. Laurier, Girard (Fair, Grandfield) 14:08
3. Lakehead, Whelan (unassisted) 14:35
4. Lakehead, Speer (unassisted) 16:47
Penalties_ Grover Laurier (interference) 10:04, Moher Laurier (holding-the-stick) 11:08, Vergeer Laurier (high-sticking) 11:20, Speer Lakehead (hooking) 18:48
Third Period
5. Laurier, Colwill (Giard, Vergeer) 0:31 (pp)
6. Lakehead, Jacobsen (Lange, Wehrstedt) 13:24
Penalties_ Jacobsen Lakehead (roughing), Rogers Lakehead (roughing) 9:58, Brown Lakehead (cross-checking) 15:22, Richards Lakehead (hooking) 19:35
Shots on goal by
Lakehead 3-16-4 _23
Laurier 9-6-11 _26
Goal (shots-saves)_Lakehead: Whitley (26-24) (W, 2-1 in series); Laurier: Day (23-19) (L, 1-2 in series)
Power plays (goals-chances)_ Lakehead: 1-5; Laurier: 1-11
- OUA -
<(Photo: Lakehead hero Mike Jacobsen ties up Laurier forward Joseph Glover in the Wolves 4-2 game three semi-final win in Waterloo Sunday. Jacobsen scored twice for the visitors. Photo by Mike Whitehouse.)
