The Lancer men's hockey team split two very important games homes over the weekend at South Windsor Arena. Windsor fell 4-1 to the Lakehead Thunderwolves Friday night before turning around and beating the Brock Badgers 5-2 on Saturday.
 
The split keeps the Lancers in a tie for the eighth and final playoff spot heading into the final weekend of the regular season.
 
FRIDAY vs Lakehead
 
Lakehead got things going early with a goal in the first minute of action. Billy Jenkins was able to beat Jonathan Reinhart in the 31st second of the game with an assist from Daniel Del Paggio. Later, at the 4:20 mark of the second period Sam Schutt and the Thunderwolves found twine a second time with help from Jake Ringuette and Patrick Murphy.  The onslaught from Lakehead didn't stop there, Jenkins beat Reinhart again with Ringuette and Murphy picking up assists again.
 
The Lancers finally broke Thunderwolves' goalie Devin Green's shutout bid when Lancer captain Blake Blondeel put a puck in the net with Nathan Veres and Todd Ractchford picking up assists with 5:31 left in the second period. Despite the goal the Lancers could not score again despite outshooting their opponents 30-35.  The Lancers ultimately fell to Lakehead  4-1.
 
The Lancers didn't have their most disciplined game of the season, spending 16 minutes in the penalty box. The 16 minutes came on four infractions, while the Thunderwolves only committed two penalties and served four minutes total.
 
The Lancers, despite their low goal total, managed to outshoot the Thunderwolves as they sent 30 pucks towards the Lakehead net. The Thunderwolves had 25 shots on net.
 
Lakehead goal tender Devin Green stood on his head, recording 29 saves. Jonathan Reinhart made 21 saves on 24 shots.
 
SATURDAY vs Brock
The Badgers got things started things four minutes into the game when Cosimo Fontana was able to get one past Jonathan Reinhart with help from Connor Brown and Adam Lloyd.  The Lancers however were able to fight back quickly, netting a tying goal by Kody Gagnon to pull the Lancers even. Unfortunately, the Badgers would take a lead with goal at the 19:51 mark of the first period and go into the break up 2-1.
 
Luckily the second period was all blue and gold as the Lancers not only evened things up but took the lead late in the period. Brennen Feasey got things going six and half minutes in on a power play opportunity with some help from Ryan Shaw. Five minutes later it was Shaw who was doing the scoring and Feasey doing the assisting as the Lancers took the lead on another power play. The Lancers then managed to kill of 1:43 of 5-on-3 hockey to take their lead into the intermission.
 
In the third period the Lancers were defending their lead when Alex Friesen took a high stick penalty at the 7:26 mark of the third period. Playing a man down, trying to protect a one goal lead isn't the best time to try and score an insurance goal but that's exactly what the Lancers did when Blondeel scored at the 7:57 mark of the third period. Ian Parker iced the game away with an empty net goal late in the period to keep the Lancers playoff hopes alive with a 5-2 victory.
 
The Lancers killed off an astounding seven penalties playing more than whole period down a man as they served 26 minutes. The Badgers on the other hand gave up goals on two of their three penalty kills.
 
Badgers goal tender Clint Windsor made 33 saves on 37 shots on the night in a losing effort. Jonathan Reinhart made 31 saves on 33 shots to give his team the win.
 
Brennen Feasey had an impressive night, recording four points with one goal and three assists.
 
UP NEXT
Windsor has two very important games ahead of them next week as they face the Western Mustangs in the final two games of the regular season. The Lancers head to Western on Friday February 9th at 7:00pm before coming home for the last game of the year on February 10th at 7:30pm.