HOUNDS GET INSIDE TRACK ON FIRST PLACE WITH WIN OVER THRASHERS

SELKIRK, Man. – While the rest of the field fights for position, the Notre Dame Hounds already know what they need to do to claim the top seed in round robin play at the 2009 TELUS Cup.

Zach Hodder had a goal and an assist and Justin Sefton pitched in with two helpers as the Hounds (3-0-1) moved to within a win of top spot in the preliminary round with a 5-3 win over the Winnipeg Thrashers on Thursday night in front of more than 1,400 fans at the Selkirk Recreation Centre.

Nolan Huysmans, Francis Menard, Ben Gamache and Trevor Cameron also scored for the West Region champions, who scored three unanswered goals in the second period when they outshot the Thrashers 19-3 and took control.

Notre Dame needs only a victory over winless Hamilton on Friday afternoon (1 p.m. CT) to wrap up first place.

The loss was the first in eight round-robin games for the Thrashers (3-1), dating back to last year’s national championship in Arnprior, Ont. Cody Waterman opened the scoring late in the first period and Brett Overwater got Winnipeg to within a goal in the opening minute of the third, but that would be as close as the Thrashers would get.

Kyle Lee rounded out the scoring with a goal just past the midway point of the final frame.

Winnipeg will conclude the round robin against Laval-Bourassa later on Friday (4:30 p.m. CT).