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Wolves score win in Wilkins' debut

Tomas Soustal has a goal and an assist as Lakehead hangs on in third to capture one-goal triumph over Lethbridge.

THUNDER BAY – Tomas Soustal arrived in Thunder Bay with plenty of hype.

A former member of the Czech Republic’s world junior team, Soustal was a 62-point scorer with the Western Hockey League’s Edmonton Oil Kings last season.

He picked up right where he left off.

The 21-year-old forward scored once in his Lakehead Thunderwolves debut and added an assist, helping his team to a 5-4 non-conference win over the Lethbridge Pronghorns in front of 2,110 fans at Fort William Gardens on Friday night.

Soustal, who spent four seasons in the WHL, is his own harshest critic.

“It was nice that we got the win, but I thought had an average game, a couple of turnovers at the blue-line, especially ones that generated two of their goals, so I can be better defensively,” Soustal said. “Offensively I was satisfied. But a win is a win, so let’s do it again tomorrow.”

The goal came 2:42 into the second period, giving the Thunderwolves a commanding 4-1 lead at the time.

Soustal said coach Andrew WIlkins, who made his debut behind the bench, told the team to keep pressuring the Pronghorns to take advantage of poor ice conditions.

It worked, captain Dillion Donnelly jumping off the bench to force a turnover.

“He just tipped it to me and I went for a breakaway,” Soustal said.

It turns out the Wolves needed every goal they got, after penalty trouble led to a pair of third-period Pronghorns power play markers.

Trailing 5-2 after 40 minutes, Ryan Chynoweth started the Lethbridge rally, punching home a dribbler in front of Lakehead goaltender Nic Renyard, who got caught looking the other way at the 5:11 mark. Three minutes later Michael Grant struck to pull the Pronghorns within a goal, the team’s third power-play marker of the game.

But they couldn’t cash in the equalizer, despite two more man advantage situations in the final 11 minutes.

Those penalties can’t become the norm, said Wilkins, relieved to get win No. 1 out of the way in the team’s first game of 2018-19.

“If you’re taking penalties in the third period when you’re leading, chances are going to go against you, for sure,” Wilkins said. “It’s a good thing we had a great goalie who played really well. The penalty kill needs some work.

Wilkins’ win meant the opposing coach, Thunder Bay’s Murray Nystrom, was saddled with the loss.

Nystrom took over the Pronghorns program in August, late in the game, and said he liked the way his team battled back in the third.

“I thought we did get better as the game went on,” said Nystrom, who took the last two seasons off after an 18-year run at Brock University.

“We spent a good part of the first period watching the puck and watching the score, which happens a lot here. It’s a tough place to play.”

Lakehead outshot Leithbridge 24-3 in the first, Brennen Dubchak, Scott Gall and rookie Dexter Kuczek beating Pronghorns goalie Garrett Hughson, Gall’s goal coming on a wicked wrist shot from the left faceoff circle.

Jordan Roy had the lone goal for Lethbridge in the first, Connor Sanvido connecting on the power play at the 7:44 mark of the second to cut the Lakehead lead to 4-2. Sam Schutt made it 5-2, scoring a shorthanded goal on Hughson midway through the middle frame.

The Wolves outshot their opponent 50-29 on the night.

The two teams will tangle again on Saturday night, with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m.

FIRST PERIOD
Scoring
: 1. Lakehead, Dubchak (Leonidas) 1:22. 2. Lethbridge, Roy (Mick, Valentine) 5:48. 3. Lakehead, Gall (Murphy, Del Paggio) 7:17 pp. 4. Lakehead, Kuczek (Soustal, Laframboise) 9:56. Penalties: Grant LTH (slashing) 6:30, Sward LTH (interference) 15:39.

SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 5. Lakehead, Soustal (Donnelly, Leonidas) 2:42. 6. Lethbridge, Sanvido (Filbrandt, Maxwell) 7:44 pp. 7. Lakehead, Schutt (Boman) 1o:06 sh. Penalties: Donnelly LAK (cross checking) 0:36, Roy LTH (high sticking) 3:08, Fryer LAK (hooking) 6:34,Labramboise LAK (slashing) 8:58, Rayman LTH (cross checking), Larson LAK (roughing) 19:10.

THIRD PERIOD
Scoring
: 8. Lethbridge, Chynoweth (White) 5:11 pp. 9. Leithbridge, Grant (Mick, Sanvido) 8:14 pp. Penalties: Leitch LAK (boarding) 3:29, Donnelly LAK (roughing), Maxwell LTH (kneeing) 6:19, Schutt LAK (high sticking) 6:46, Alexander LAK (high sticking) 8:51, Del Paggio LAK (cross checking) 11:28.

GAME DATASOG – Lethbridge 3-14-12-29, Lakehead 24-16-10-50; Power plays (goals-chances) – Lethbridge (3-5), Lakehead (1-3); Goaltenders – Lethbridge: Garrett Hughson, Lakehead: Nic Renyard; A: 2,110.



Leith Dunick

About the Author: Leith Dunick

A proud Nova Scotian who has called Thunder Bay home since 2002, Leith is Dougall Media's director of news, but still likes to tell your stories too. Wants his Expos back and to see Neil Young at least one more time. Twitter: @LeithDunick
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