Last-place Ontario Tech stuns Lakehead hockey squad

You win some and you lose some.

It's just the losses aren't supposed to come at the hands of teams like the cellar-dwelling Ontario Tech Ridgebacks.

But that's precisely what happened on Saturday night to the visiting Lakehead Thunderwolves, who fell 8-5 after digging an early hole they couldn't escape from.

The Ridgebacks opened a 3-0 lead in the first six minutes of play on goals by Kevin George, Kyle Wetering and Mike Noyes.

Then after Mitch Maunu scored to get the Wolves on the scoreboard, Brendan Wise beat LU's Jeff Bosch and UOIT took a 4-1 lead after 20 minutes.

The onslaught continued in the second.

Jesse Stoughton notched a power play goal just past the three-minute mark. LU's Keith Grondin got that goal back, but Wise scored his second to restore the four-goal Ridgebacks lead.

Thomas Frazee notched his first in a Lakehead uniform before the period would end and the Wolves were down 6-3 heading into the third.

Grondin pulled the Wolves to within two at 3:22 of the final frame, then Jake Carrick cut the lead to one with 6:29 to go. But Luke Van Moerkerke, who scored a pair on Friday, added another on Saturday to regain the two-goal lead for Ontario Tech.

Stoughton found the empty net to hand LU its first loss in 10 games, as the Wolves (16-4-0) fell two points behind the Western Mustangs(16-2-2), who will invade Fort William Gardens next weekend for a pair of games.