Hyvarinen nets winner, Wolves clinch third

Andy Hyvarinen scored the winner with 90 seconds to play in regulation, setting a return trip to Waterloo next week.

Hyvarinen’s sixth of the season snapped a 2-2 tie between the Warriors and Lakehead Thuderwolves, who clinched third place in the OUA West with the triumph.

The two teams will meet in the best-of-three opening round of the playoffs, the first game slated for Waterloo on Wednesday night. Game 2 will go Friday night at Fort William Gardens, with Game 3, if necessary, scheduled for Saturday night in Thunder Bay.

Jordan Smith opened the LU scoring, tallying for the second straight night to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead 8:24 into the first.

Josh Schappert tied the game on the power play at 6:54 of the second, but Ryan McDonald responded six minutes later with his team-leading 17th of the season to put LU up 2-1 after two. Kirt Hill scored the equalizer, again on the power play, 4:26 into the third.

Matt Caria, in just his second game back after winning bronze at the World University Games, scored his 10th of the season into the empty net.