The Lakehead Thunderwolves look like they might have to do without top scorer Cody Alcock for the foreseeable future.
The third-year forward went down in a heap, writhing on the Fort William Gardens ice Friday night after a first-period knee-on-knee collision with a Ryerson Rams opponent, having already drawn an assist on Billy Jenkins’ opening goal.
The Oshawa, Ont. native had to be helped off the ice.
Devastated by the loss, his teammates nonetheless used the injury as a rallying point in the third period, scoring three unanswered goals to down Ryerson 5-2, the Wolves second regular-season win in three outings.
Jenkins, who led LU with two goals and an assist playing alongside Kelin Ainworth and Garick Gray, said Alcock will be tough to replace.
“It was disheartening, for sure. He’s a big part of our team and a big guy in the locker room. We wanted to win that one for him. We were all saying that in the room and hopefully it’s not as bad as everyone thinks and he’ll have a speedy recovery and he’ll be back out soon.”
Lakehead coach Bill McDonald was less optimistic, saying he expects Alcock to have an MRI either later Friday night or on Saturday.
The outlook is not encouraging, said McDonald of his top forward, who departs with seven goals and six assists in 19 OUA contests.
“It wasn’t a dirty play,” McDonald said. “He was going to hit him and the other guy fell. He sort of went over him and caught his knee in a bad spot.
“I think as you saw and the fans saw he was in quite a bit of pain. From the reports I got now, talking to Dr. (Peter) Clark … is that it doesn’t look good.”
After opening the scoring on the power play, it was special teams that let the Wolves down on the Rams tying goal midway through the first, Jamie Lewis beating Devin Green with Ryerson down a man.
Ainsworth vaulted the Wolves in front again late in the second, taking a lengthy up-ice pass from Jake Ringuette and beating Ryerson goalie Taylor Dupuis for a 2-1 Lakehead lead after 40 minutes.
But Linden Springer was sent off at the buzzer for a check to the head and Ainsworth picked up another penalty 11 seconds into the third, setting the Wolves down two men for a 1:49 span.
Ryerson capitalized, firing the puck off a leg in front, Rams captain Michael Fine credited with the goal, his 11th of the campaign.
The last-place Wolves (4-11-4), with virtually no room to give in the OUA playoff fight, took the lead for good when Ainsworth stole the puck and fired it over to Jenkins on the 2-on-1, LU taking a 3-2 lead at the 8:48 mark. Ainsworth was at it again on the power play later in the period, firing a cross-ice pass to Justin Sefton, who one-timed a blast past Dupuis, doubling the Thunderwolves advantage.
Carson Dubchak iced it with an empty netter with 71 seconds to go.
Green made 34 stops in the win, Dupuis 26 in a losing effort for Ryerson (9-11-0).
The Wolves pulled to within four points of eighth-place Brock, who dropped a 4-2 decision to division-leading York, and Toronto, who edged Windsor 6-5 in a shootout.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: Lakehead, Jenkins (Alcock, Wright) 4:49 pp. 2. Ryerson, Lewis (Hinds, Birkhoff) 10:53 sh. Penalties: Doctor RYE (high sticking) 4:22, Fine RYE (cross checking) 9:03.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 3. Lakehead, Ainsworth (Ringuette) 17:36. Penalties: Gray LAK (hooking) 4:52, Cull LAK (tripping) 13:53, LAK Springer (check to the head, misconduct) 20:00.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 4. Ryerson, Fine (Clairmont, Basso) 1:08 pp.5. Lakehead, Jenkins (Ainsworth) 8:48. 6. Lakehead, Sefton (Ainsworth, Jenkins) 14:15 pp. 7. Lakehead, C. Dubchak (Sefton) 18:49 en. Penalties: Ainsworth LAK (slashing) 0:11, Devlin RYE (high sticking) 13:45.
GAME DATA – SOG – Ryerson 11-13-12-36, Lakehead 13-6-12-31; Power plays (goals-chances) – Ryerson (1-4), Lakehead (2-4); Goaltenders – Ryerson: Taylor Dupuis, Lakehead: Devin Green; A: 2,274.
