THUNDER BAY – The York Lions aren’t exactly a team to go up against when you’re looking to end a four-game losing streak.
While the Lakehead Thunderwolves generally play their Toronto opponent tough, they’ve dropped eight straight to the Lions, their last win over York coming in October 2014.
The good news is all eight of those losses have been tight.
Half of them were decided by one goal, the other half by two.
It’s the tightness of their rivalry – which Lakehead dominated between 2001-02 and 2013-2014, winning 33 of 38 match-ups – that has the 10-8-3 Thunderwolves still believing they can compete with York, who sit third in the OUA West at 14-8-1.
But they may have to do it without one of their top scorers.
Thunder Bay forward and leading point-getter Dylan Butler is a game-time decision for coach Bill McDonald, as he deals with an upper-body injury.
As a precaution, McDonald has shifted Grant Valiquette to the top line, playing alongside rookies Scott Gall and Daniel Del Paggio.
Valiquette, a sophomore from Dryden, Ont., hasn’t had the offensive impact he did in his rookie campaign, when he scored four goals and added nine assists in 27 OUA appearances. This season he has just three goals in 16 games, a total he’s hoping to add to against the Lions.
“It’s obviously pretty nice to play with Scotty Gall and (Daniel) Del Paggio,” Valiquette said after practice on Thursday night.
“They’re a couple of pretty skilled guys. Hopefully all I have to do is give them a pass or two and they’ll put it in the net. I’m excited, absolutely.”
It won’t be easy replacing Butler, tied with Gall with 14 points.
“Obviously he’s unreal out there,” Valiquette said. “But I’m excited to be up there and hopefully I’ll get a couple more touches on the puck than I’m used to and it goes in the net for me.”
His plan is simply finding open space.
“They’re going to find you. I just have to be ready to get the puck.”
McDonald, who will likely be without the services of injured defenceman Tyler Anton, is confident Valiquette can step in and do the job.
“We moved him up to try to get a little more offence from him,”said McDonald, also dealing with the after affects of a flu bug that sidelined both captain Dillon Donnelly and goaltender Nic Renyard this week.
“I think (Valiquette) could be a key player. I think he could step up a little bit because he’s got some great offensive talent,” McDonald said.
Puck drop on Friday night is 7 p.m. at Fort William Gardens.
