THUNDER BAY -- The Lakehead Thunderwolves unbeaten run at home to open the campaign is over.
A pair of first period tallies by Kyle Hope powered the visiting Windsor Lancers to a 4-0 regular season victory against Lakehead on Saturday night, as the Thunderwolves suffered their first defeat on Fort William Gardens ice in five contests.
One night after doubling up the rival Western Mustangs to open OUA conference play, the Thunderwolves could not repeat the effort.
Windsor netminder Jonathan Reinhart turned aside all 39 shots he faced, including two breakaway stops on Thunderwolves sniper Daniel Del Paggio, to earn the shutout.
Hope got the Lancers on the board just 4:59 in as his sharp angle shot found a way through Thunderwolves goalie Devin Green. The fifth-year senior forward doubled the Windsor advantage less than three minutes later, converting a perfectly delivered feed from linemate Justice Dundas with a booming one-timer from the high slot.
Brennan Feasey extended the Windsor lead halfway through the second period, beating Green less than 30 seconds after exiting the penalty box.
Ethan Skinner netted his first OUA goal to cap off the scoring, with Hope drawing an assist for his third point of the evening.
Green made 35 saves in the losing effort.
The highlight for many of the 1,939 in attendance came during the first intermission, when fan Mike Johnston won the team's first intermission promotional contest with his shot from just beyond centre ice on the mark through the puck-sized hole to win a car.
Lakehead travels to Quebec next weekend for a two-game series against McGill.
