Three games in and the Lakehead Thunderwolves are still searching for their first win of 2014-15.
Former OHL standout Dylan Smoskowitz netted a hat trick and added a helper, powering the visiting York Lions to a 6-4 win Friday night at Fort William Gardens. Colton Vannucci had a pair of tallies for the Lions.
The Wolves, who lost starting goaltender Jeff Bosch to an apparent head injury late in the second period, took an early 2-0 lead, but couldn’t hang on.
It was the third straight OUA contest that Lakehead (0-3-0) has scored the opening goal and the second straight they opened a two-goal lead, only to skate away with a goose egg in the standings. It's the first time the Wolves have ever lost three games to start a season in the team's 14-year history.
LU coach Bill McDonald said the players' mentality, up two goals, has to be to hit the intermission with that lead intact. It's just not happening, he said.
"Guys are trying to make it 4-0 and we're getting it stuck right up our bum," McDonald said. "That's what's happening and it happens time and time again."
It's selfishness, he added.
"Guys are trying to be the hero or get points or whatever, but we'll find a way to probably stop it."
Finding his team at the bottom of the OUA West standings after three outings is the absolute last place McDonald wants to be. And it looks like he'll have to turn things around without his No. 1 goalie for the unforseeable future. Bosch, who lost an edge and slammed his head into the boards with 4:38 to go in the second, was taken to hospital for tests and isn't expected back in the lineup tomorrow night.
"It's probably not very good," McDonald said, asked for a post-game diagnosis of his goaltender.
"The report was, when he was on the ice and went down, and I didn't see it, he smashed it hard and he was out. I don't know how long (he's out), but hopefully he's all right."
Carson Dubchak opened the scoring for LU at the 2:49 mark of the first, scoring from his usual doorstep haunt, pushing it past York goalie Chris Perugini. Six minutes later Cody Alcock grabbed the puck off the draw, slipped past York defender Paul Sohor and doubled the Thunderwolves lead.
The Lions, however, wasted no time with a response, Smoskowitz potting his first of the night and third of the season past Bosch, cutting the lead in half. Two minutes later he fired a low shot that beat Bosch between the pads, then Smoskowitz completed the natural hat trick 20 seconds in to the second on a wraparound that surprised the Lakehead goalie.
"We knew it was their home opener and they were going to be coming out hot," said the rookie Smoskowitz, a former 33-goal scorer in the Ontario Hockey League."
"Obviously we didn't want to give up those first two, but I thought we did a pretty good job of battling back. My linemates gave me a lot of room tonight. They trust me out there and I got some lucky bounces and we battled back pretty good."
Keith Grondin tied the score four minutes into the second, but the Wolves surrendered the lead in a hurry, Vannucci pushing York in front 4-3 just 12 seconds later. Vannnucci addded another on the power play.
Lakehead's E.J. Faust, with his first regular-season tally, and Mitch VanTeeling traded goals before the period ended, wrapping up the scoring on the night.
Both teams fired 36 shots at the opposition net.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Lakehead, C. Dubchak 1 (Faust, B. Dubchak) 2:49. 2. Lakehead, Alcock 2 (D. Quesnele) 8:41. 3. York, Smoskowitz 3 (Meloff, Cross) 15:51. 4. York, Smoskowitz 4 (Jackman) 17:54. Penalties: None.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 5. York, Smoskowitz 5 (unassisted) 0:20. 6. Lakehead, Grondin 2 (Grecica, Ainsworth) 4:27. 7. York, Vannucci 1 (Peterson, Poldma) 4:39. 8. York, Vannucci 2 (Scott, Smoskowitz) 10:27 pp. 9. Lakehead, Faust 1 (Fillman, Bruyere) 13:16. 10. York, VanTeeling 2 (Rover) 18:47. Penalties: Peterson YRK (roughing) 0:52, Gilbert LAK (cross checking) 6:36, Sohor YRK (roughing), Hammond LAK (interference) 9:45, D. Quesnele LAK (charging), Gilbert LAK (charging) 9:19.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: None. Penalties: Carrick LAK (cross checking), Sohor YRK (high sticking) 1:07, Sheppard YRK (holding) 8:09, Sohor YRK (hit from behind, misconduct) 9:00, C. Dubchak LAK (boarding) 12:06, Meloff YRK (cross checking) 15:41
GAME DATA – SOG – York 10-16-10-36, Lakehead 10-9-17-36; Power plays (goals-chances) – York (1-3), Lakehead (0-3); Goaltenders – York: Chris Perugini, Lakehead: Jeff Bosch (20 shots, 15 saves), Justin McDonald (15:38, second); A: 2,231 (announced).
