Box Score In two of the last three seasons, the Waterloo Warriors were responsible for ending the Lakehead Thunderwolves' season in disappointment. This time, the tables were turned on Waterloo – in heartbreaking fashion.

After Colin Behenna (Waterloo/) was stopped on a penalty shot in overtime, Mike Hammond scored the game-winning goal with only 13 seconds remaining in the extra session to give the Wolves a 3-2 overtime victory over Waterloo, eliminating the Warriors from the playoffs on the regular season's final day.

The Warriors (12-12-4) finished with 28 points, tied with the York Lions and Guelph Gryphons for 7^th and 8^th in the hotly-contested OUA West division. But York (13-13-2) claimed the 7^th seed with one more regular season win, and the Gryphons (12-12-4) edged out Waterloo on the OUA's third tie-breaker, head-to-head goal differential – the Gryphons outscored the Warriors 8-7 in the two games between the clubs this year.

Bosch was the key to Lakehead's victory in the finale, making 38 saves in the win. Mike Morrison (Hamilton/) stood tall in the Warriors net, turning aside 21 shots in the loss for the Warriors.
If the Warriors felt any pressure from the win-or-go-home scenario, they certainly didn't exhibit it in the game's opening moments. Kain Allicock (Markham/) got the Warriors on the board less than three minutes in, and Brett Mackie (Whitby/) made it 2-0 before the game was 10 minutes old.

The Warriors were able to carry that 2-0 lead throughout the remainder of the first period and much of the second. But just before the period expired, Ryan Magill cashed shorthanded for the Wolves to cut the Warriors lead to 2-1 after two periods.

Lakehead didn't waste any time evening the score in the third, as Cody Alcock scored on the man advantage to square things at 2-2. Waterloo kept the pressure up throughout the final frame, but Bosch never relented and Lakehead forced the game into overtime.

It was nearly over in the extra frame's opening seconds, when Behenna was hauled down on a breakaway and awarded a penalty shot. However, Bosch stuck with Behenna's move to the forehand and kicked it away, setting up the closing minute's dramatic finish.

With time ticking down, Hammond weaved his way around the Warriors defenders and went top shelf over Morrison's glove in an inspired solo effort, giving the Wolves the 3-2 win and sending the Warriors home for the season.

The Warriors will now have a longer offseason than planned or desired, but with a strong core of returning players, Waterloo plans to once again be a force in the OUA in 2014-15.

Notes: Waterloo went 0-for-2 on the power play, while Lakehead went 1-for-5…Waterloo finished with 28 points, one fewer than they earned last season, when they were the OUA West's 6^th seed…this was the final career games for five graduating Warriors: Justin Leclerc (Saskatoon/), Ryan Molle (Calgary/), Jarred Parent (West Montrose/), Josh Woolley (Cambridge/), and Greg Steffes (Amherstburg/).