THUNDER BAY, Ont. — Lakehead's Kelin Ainsworth capped off a wild back and forth affair with the game-winner in double overtime on Saturday night, beating Greg Dodds on a nice feed from Mike Hammond to send the Thunderwolves past Western 4-3 at Fort Williams Gardens.
 
Ainsworth's goal put the cherry on top of a spectacular performance from Lakehead's goaltender Justin McDonald, who stopped 50 of 53 shots on the night to earn the improbable win. Western held the lead late in the third period but Carson Dubchak's second goal of the night on a scramble play allowed the Thunderwolves to send the game to overtime.
 
The loss snaps Western's six game win-streak and gives them their first loss in their last four road games, although the Mustangs will still earn a point on the night. That point is their 23rd of the year—good enough to keep them in second— while the Thunderwolves move into sixth-place with the much needed extra-frame win.
 
For much of the game, it didn't look as if the Thunderwolves would get that win. They did hold the lead briefly in the second period, but the Mustangs were able to largely control the play, especially in the first period when they peppered McDonald with 17 shots. David Corrente would make sure the Mustangs had something to show for it, netting the only goal of the frame.
 
At the other end of the rink, Dodds was also kept busy early, stopping 10 shots in the opening frame and even getting in a bit of a tussle with the Thunderwolves' Carson Dubchak after a scramble in his crease. Dodds came into the game fresh off of a 25-save performance on Friday night but didn't look any worse for the wear on Saturday, turning aside a total of 29 shots.
 
But Carson would get the better of Dodds in the second period, as the Thunderwolves were able to overcome being drastically outshot and outplayed to net a pair of tallies and take a 2-1 lead. Carson's goal was followed by one from teammate David Quesnele, whose marker came on Lakehead's thirteenth shot of the night. To compare, Western had 27 at the time.
 
Western would get back on the board before the end of the period, however, as Trent Oullette fed Stephen Gaskin a saucer pass on a two-on-one and Gaskin buried his third of the season into the gaping net. That goal came on Western's 29th shot of the night, and by the end of the frame the Mustangs had outshot Lakehead by a total of 36-18.
 
After a penalty-filled third period on Friday night, Saturday's third period seemed quite calm in comparison. Julian Cimadamore had the first goal of the frame, picking off a pass from Nathan Bruyere at Lakehead's blue line and sniping his seventh goal of the year. McDonald—caught off-guard by the misdirected pass— didn't have much of a chance on the play.
 
Lakehead would pay McDonald back for that mistake with just over five minutes left, however, as Dubchak capitalized on a scramble play in front of Dodds for his second of the night. The two teams then headed into overtime, where Ainsworth would follow up a scoreless first frame by scoring his eighth goal of the year with the teams at three-on-three.
 
Next up the Mustangs will turn their attention to a pair of road matches next week. Tuesday, December 2 will see Western visit Laurier, while Wednesday's game sees the Mustangs take on the OUA West Division's top team in Windsor, who beat York on Saturday night and currently hold the OUA's best record at 14-1-1.
 
Notes

Saturday's shot total of 53 was Western's highest of the season so far, with their second-highest being 47 against Concordia on November 21… Corrente was forced to leave the game after being shoved into Dodds in the first overtime. He struggled to get up at first but was able to leave the ice under his own power…