THUNDER BAY – Daniel McKitrick was one of the final pieces added to the Lakehead Thunderwolves puzzle box this past summer.
Better late than never.
The 21-year-old Thunder Bay-born forward paid early dividends on Saturday night, scoring a pair of goals 11 seconds apart in the second period, and adding an assist in the Wolves 6-1, 73-shot assault on the visiting Nipissing Lakers in front of 2,026 fans at Fort William Gardens.
“It’s nice to get a couple of goals in this game, but it’s even nicer that the team got the win and we’ve played well the past two weekends,” said McKitrick, who arrived back in Thunder Bay via the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s Steinbach Pistons.
The former Thunder Bay North Stars forward said he’s not about to rest on his laurels after one good outing.
“Obviously it feels awesome right now, but there’s still a lot of work to be done and hopefully I play well the rest of the year,” said the 5-foot-7 forward.
LU captain Dillion Donnelly said it’s great to see the rookie start producing right away.
“It’s always nice when guys that are a little more unheard of come in and play a role. That’s what makes good teams, when all 20 skaters you have dressed that night are contributing. It’s also what’s made us successful so far,” said Donnelly, who drew an assist on Brennen Dubchak’s third-period goal, the veteran forward picking up a crafty goal-mouth drop pass by line-mate Dylan Butler to make it 5-1 at the 11:08 mark.
First-year coach Andrew Wilkins said the team scouted McKitrick last season, interested in one particular aspect of his game.
“He brings the element of speed. He’s smart, he’s skilled and I think you saw it on both of his goals. The breakaway, which was a great pass by Josh (Laframboise), but Danny pulled away to create that. His puck retrieval in the offensive zone, it even caught the goalie off guard, it was that quick,” Wilkins said.
McKitrick picked the pocket of Nipissing goaltender Talor Joseph, who was spectacular the rest of the night, stopping 67 of Lakehead’s team record 73 shot attempts, and wrapped it into the net at 2:41 of the middle stanza, doubling the Wolves lead to 2-0.
Jordan King made it 3-0 at the 7:19 mark, before Colby Tower managed to deflect the puck past Devin Green for the Lakers lone goal of the night with less than five minutes to play in the period.
Joseph was burned by his own player in the final moments of the second, when Erik Robichaud mistakenly fired the puck untouched into his own net, LU taking a 4-1 lead into the third.
It was a rough night, said an exhausted Joseph, who played for the Fort Frances Lakers in 2012-13.
“You just try to keep it simple. Regardless of the shots, the guys did a good job today, keeping it outside and making it as simple as possible for me,” Joseph said.
Lakehead, 4-0-0 in the pre-season, takes on Bemidji State next Saturday on the road and opens its 18th OUA campaign at home on Oct. 12 against Western.
Claw marks: Lakehead was 1-6 with the man advantage. Nipissing was 0-3.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: None. Penalties: Harper NIP (cross checking) 19:13.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Lakehead, McKitrick (Laframboise ) 2:30. 2. Lakehead, McKitrick (unassisted) 2:41. 3. Lakehead, King (Leonidas, Leitch) 7:19. 4. Nipissing, Tower (Harper) 15:40. 5. Lakehead, Leitch (unassisted) 19:47. Penalties: Dubchak LAK (high sticking) 10:11, Morrison NIP (tripping double minor) 12:40, Soustal LAK (holding the stick) 14:26, Harper NIP (tripping) 16:10.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 6. Lakehead, Dubchak (Butler, Donnelly) 11:08.7. Lakehead, Laframboise (McKitrick, Wesley-Chisel) 18:20. Penalties: Donnelly LAK (roughing) 3:35, Edwards NIP (Interference) 6:31, Wall LAK (high sticking double minor) 8:30, MacDonald LAK (hooking) 12:22, Campbell NIP (holding) 13:08.
SOG – Nipissing 12-7-8-27, Lakehead 28-30-15-73; Power plays (goals-chances) – Nipissing (0-3), Lakehead (1-6); Goaltenders – Nipissing: Talor Joseph, Lakehead: Devin Green; A: 2,026.
