WATERLOO, Ont. - The stellar goaltending of netminder Jeff MacDougald carried the Laurier Golden Hawks to a thrilling 5-4 win over the Lakehead Thunderwolves Thursday night at the Sun Life Arena in Waterloo. The win gives the Hawks a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three OUA West Semi Final playoff series.

Game Two is set for the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay Saturday night at 7:30 pm EST; with Game Three, if necessary, going at the Gardens on Sunday night at 7:30 pm EST.

Lakehead is 0-1 in OUA playoff action (23-5-1 OUA overall) while Laurier is now 3-1 in OUA playoff action (19-10-3 OUA overall).

Lakehead's home game (s) will be videowebcast live on NewscastSports.com. Ordering info is available at http://events.news-cast.com/events/Lakehead and viewers will need hi-speed internet and Windows Media Player to watch the vidcasts.

Scoring for the Wolves were Mark Soares, Brad Priestlay, Mike Wehrstedt, and Andrew Brown. Mitch Maunu and Kris Hogg had a pair of assists each. Luke Girard led the Hawks with a pair of goals with singles coming from Jean-Michel Rizk, Nathan Peacock, and Matt Grennier. Craig Voakes added a pair of assists for Laurier while Grennier and Peacock had a helper apiece.

Lakehead outshot Laurier 37-26 in the game; and 16-6 in the crucial third period when MacDougald's goaltending lifted the Hawks to the victory. Lakehead netminder Chris Whitley (15-1) suffered his first loss of the regular and post-season. Lakehead was 1-9 on the powerplay while Laurier went 1-7.

Lakehead had early penalty trouble in the opening period but it was the Wolves who struck first at 2:31 when Matt Maissoneuve found an open Mark Soares who beat Laurier netminder Jeff MacDougald just as a Wolves penalty expired. The other assist went to Mitch Maunu. The Wolves then had a couple powerplays in the middle of the period but couldn't get anything going against a tenacious Hawks defense. Lakehead again had powerplays in the second half of the period but MacDougald made some good saves for the Hawks. The Hawks then got on the board at 18:31 when Jean-Michel Rizk scored on a 2-on-1; set up by Nathan Peacock. The other assist went to Rob Dmytruk. Shots on goal were 10-9 Laurier in the first.

The Wolves started the second on the powerplay and MacDougald made a big stop off Lakehead's Andy Zulyniak near the end of the penalty. Laurier then went on the powerplay and Lakehead goalie Chris Whitley had to come up big. The Wolves Shandor Alphonso then had a good shorthanded opportunity but then the Hawks put the pressure back on. The Wolves finally killed it off but then took another minor and this time the Hawks made it count when Luke Girard scored at 4:32; assisted by Craig Voakes.

The Wolves then tied it up at 8:06 when Brad Priestlay scored after trailing the play and picking up a pass from Tobias Whelan. The other assist went Kris Hogg. Lakehead's Soares then came close with Laurier's MacDougald making a big stop. Lakehead went on the poweplay and put on some pressure but then took a minor of their own to negate the man advantage. The teams traded penalties and when they returned to five skaters it was Laurier who went on the offensive and they were rewarded at 14:26 when Girard scored his second of the game; assisted by Craig Voakes and Nick Vergeer. However, the Wolves third line roared right back and Mike Wehrstedt tied it at 15:03 with a roofer over Laurier's MacDougald; assisted by Konrad Breutsch and Mitch Maunu. Lakehead outshot Laurier 12-9 in the second.

The Hawks took the lead back at 2:01 when Nathan Peacock beat Lakehead's Whitley; assisted by Rizk and Matt Grennier. Lakehead then went on the powerplay and again roared back to tie the game at four apiece when Captain Clutch Andrew Brown scored at 2:52, assisted by Andy Zulyniak and Kris Hogg. Laurier was not to be outdone in the scoring parade and promptly jumped back into a 5-4 lead when their captain Matt Grennier scored at 4:17, assisted by Adam Maccarone.

Lakehead then applied pressure and MacDougald made a good save off the Wolves Tobias Whelan. The Wolves went on the powerplay and Mark Soares had two good chances but couldn't connect and was denied by the Hawks MacDougald. The Wolves kept up the pressure and in a goalmouth scramble the Hawks took another penalty giving Lakehead a 5-on-3 for 54 seconds. The Wolves attacked the Laurier goal and MacDougald made another big stop off Lakehead's Matt Jacques. MacDougald then made another huge save off the Wolves Brock McPherson. The Wolves bombarded the Hawks goal but MacDougald made a series of big saves. The Hawks then had a quick break and Lakehead's Whitley had to be sharp and the Wolves powerplay was over.

MacDougald then made three more great saves in succession; all off Lakehead's Kris Hogg. The Wolves kept up desperate pressure but could not solve Laurier's MacDougald. Lakehead then took a minor penalty at 16:27; putting the Wolves in dire straights. Lakehead pulled Whitley from the goal and buzzed the Laurier goal. Laurier fired it at the empty net and were called for icing with 22 seconds left. Lakehead called a timeout for the all important draw in the Hawks zone with six attackers. The Wolves Mike Wehrstedt fired a rocket off the draw and MacDougald made the big save and then couldn't get another shot before the final buzzer. Shots in the third were 16-6 Lakehead.


Game Summary: Lakehead 4 at Laurier 5 -

Feb 21, 2008 - Sun Life Arena, Waterloo Recreation Complex

1st Period
Scoring - 1. Lakehead, M. Soares (1) (M. Maisonneuve, M. Maunu) 2:31
2. Laurier, J. Rizk (2) (N. Peacock, R. Dmytruk) 18:31
Penalties - M. Jacques Lak (high sticking) 0:31, A. Brown Lak (holding) 3:16, L. Dubbin Laur (interference) 6:11, M. Grennier Laur (tripping) 7:51, L. Girard Laur (slashing) 14:31, N. Peacock Laur (roughing) 19:57

2nd Period
Scoring - 3. Laurier, L. Girard (1) (C. Voakes) 4:32 PP
4. Lakehead, B. Priestlay (1) (T. Whelan, K. Hogg) 8:06
5. Laurier, L. Girard (2) (N. Vergeer, C. Voakes) 14:26
6. Lakehead, M. Wehrstedt (1) (K. Breutsch, M. Maunu) 15:03
Penalties - K. Breutsch Lak (hooking) 2:09, A. Zulyniak Lak (cross checking) 4:23, A. Maccarone Laur (tripping) 8:38, A. Brown Lak (tripping) 9:53, T. Townsend Laur (high sticking) 11:55

3rd Period
Scoring - 7. Laurier, N. Peacock (1) (M. Grennier, J. Rizk) 2:01
8. Lakehead, A. Brown (1) (A. Zulyniak, K. Hogg) 2:52 PP
9. Laurier, M. Grennier (2) (A. Maccarone) 4:17
Penalties - M. Voakes Laur (interference) 2:10, K. Hogg Lak (tripping) 6:04, A. Maccarone Laur (roughing) 6:04, N. Vergeer Laur (tripping) 8:31, M. Grennier Laur (interference) 9:38, A. Brown Lak (unsportsmanlike cnd.) 12:17, S. Alphonso Lak (checking to the head, 10-minute misconduct) 16:27

LAK Shots: 9 12 16 TOTAL: 37
LAUR Shots: 10 9 6 TOTAL: 25

Power Play Conversion
Lakehead 1-9. Laurier 1-7.

Goaltenders
Lakehead
Whitley 0-0-0-0 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 58:50 SV: 20 GA: 5
Laurier
MacDougald 2-1-0-0 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 60:00 SV: 33 GA: 4

Source:

Mike Aylward
Lakehead University