THUNDER BAY – Daniel Del Paggio’s knack for scoring big goals is showing no signs of disappearing anytime soon.
The rookie Lakehead Thunderwolves forward, reunited with line-mate Billy Jenkins on Friday night, scored the overtime winner to help his team snap a three-game OUA men’s hockey losing streak with a 3-2 win over the visiting Toronto Varsity Blues at Fort William Gardens.
It was the second regular-season overtime winner scored by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League graduate, his third when non-conference games are factored in.
Add in another pair of game-winners and Del Paggio is about as clutch as they come.
He, however, chalks it up to luck.
“Honestly, I’ve just been getting a couple of good bounces. Murph (Patrick Murphy) made a pretty good play and passed it up to Jenks (Jenkins) and two guys went for him. I don’t know, I think it’s a little bit of luck, but just being patient,” Del Paggio said.
“I was a little bit snake-bitten at the beginning of the year, so it’s nice to get goals where it matters now.”
Jenkins, back after missing eight games with an ankle injury, said he spent a lot of time on the sidelines watching Del Paggio get better and better.
“Part of what was tough sitting out was seeing him getting better and better playing,” said Jenkins, who scored a go-ahead goal in the first, jumping on an Austin McDonald shot off the end boards that bounced straight to his stick in front of the Varsity Blues net.
“The last couple of weekends he’s really found his stride. From major junior, this league can be tough to adjust to. It’s really different and he’s really adjusted over the last little bit. You can see it by his play. We hooked up for one at the end and hopefully that just continues.”
LU coach Bill McDonald said it wasn’t a surprise that Del Paggio was the guy who got the winning goal.
“He’s got the flare. He wants it,” McDonald said, adding his freshman forward was itching to get back on the ice after his first shift of the extra period.
“He’s just the type of guy that when the game gets revved up, he gets revved up. He’s been playing unreal for us.”
Jenkins said it was great to be back.
"It was a tough couple of weeks. I was pretty disappointed when it happened. But I really needed that. It was a big two points and we've just got to play a better game tomorrow and come out with another two points," Jenkins said.
Other than the OT tally, the other four goals all came in a 12-minute span of the opening period. Scott Gall started things off 1:22 into the contest, beating Toronto goalie Foulem Frederic for his team-leading seventh of the season.
Scott Kirton evened things up six-and-a-half minutes later, firing it past Devin Green, subbing for an injured Nic Renyard in the Lakehead net.
Renyard won’t play this weekend and the possibility remains he’ll be shut down until after Christmas.
Jenkins pushed the Wolves in front at 11:21, but Aidan Wallace knotted it up again with 2:50 to go in the period.
Del Paggio was stopped on a breakaway early in the second, LU down a man at the time. Green came up strong against Luca Leone in what proved to be a goal-less, penalty-free third.
The Wolves and Varsity Blues will tangle again on Saturday night. Game time at the Gardens is 7 p.m.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring – 1. Lakehead, Gall 7 (Butler, Ringuette) 1:22. 2. Toronto, Kirton 1 (Harvey) 7:52. 3. Lakehead, Jenkins 1 (A. McDonald, Anton) 11:21. 4. Toronto, Wallace 2 (Jackson) 17:10. Penalties: MacEachern TOR (holding) 13:34.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: None. Penalties: McDonald LAK (tripping) 4:53, MacEachern TOR (holding) 12:27, Heffernan TOR, Dubchak LAK (roughing) 17: 31. Lindsay TOR (hooking) 18:18.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: None. Penalties: None.
OVERTIME
Scoring: 5. Lakehead, Del Paggio 6 (Jenkins, Masters) 2:58. Penalties: None.
GAME DATA – SOG – Toronto 12-9-11-0-32, Lakehead 11-12-8-3-34; Power plays (goals-chances) – Toronto (0-1), Lakehead (0-3); Goaltenders – Toronto: Foulem Frederic (three shots, two saves), Andrew Hunt (7:26, first), Lakehead: Devin Green; A: 1,884.
