M-HOCKEY ROUNDUP: NO. 7 LANCERS SHUT OUT MUSTANGS IN ROAD WIN
LONDON, ONT. - For a team that's known for their ability to put pucks in the net, the Mustangs have run into a bit of an unfamiliar problem lately.
Thursday, January 29
Windsor 1 @ Western 0
LONDON, ONT. - For a team that's known for their ability to put pucks in the net, the Mustangs have run into a bit of an unfamiliar problem lately.
After being shut out by York last Friday, Western found themselves unable to score for the second straight game on Thursday night, falling to the Windsor Lancers by a score of 1-0 at Thompson Arena thanks to a 25-save performance from Parker Van Buskirk.
When asked post-game if the 120-minute goal drought was leading to some frustration on the part of the coaching staff, Mustangs head coach Clarke Singer didn't seem too concerned.
"Well I don't know about my part, I mean obviously the guys are the ones probably the most frustrated," Singer responded. "You know they're working hard, they're pretty committed, they're doing lots of real good things and just can't find the back of the net.
"We've played two very good defensive teams that have great goaltending… but we're going to have to find a way to get those goals that aren't just created off the rush," he added.
Western had a number of chances to tie the game late but ran into some penalty trouble, as Adam McKee was booked for slashing with less than four minutes left. Even after he got out of the box, the Lancers ensured that the Mustangs would be unable to get Dodds out of his net for the extra attacker.
The only goal of the game came in the second period off the stick of Sebastien Beauregard, as he spoiled an otherwise solid performance from Greg Dodds in net. Dodds finished with 22 saves on 23 shots Thursday night, following up his excellent start against the Lions last week with his second straight one-goal game, a positive takeaway after a rough start to January.
The win moves the first-place Lancers four points above Western in the OUA West Division standings and ensures that the Mustangs won't have a chance to take over first place when they play Waterloo this Saturday. The Warriors currently sit third in the division—three points behind Western— but have a chance to earn two points when they play Brock on Friday.
Windsor circled in the first frame but were unable to convert, registering the majority of chances despite firing the same amount of shots as Western with eight. Greg Dodds was calm and collected in the Mustangs net, handling the shots that reached him with relative ease and getting a number of timely blocks from his teammates to leave the period with a clean sheet.
The bodies were flying early in the game, with both teams making it clear that no check would go unfinished on the night. Jake Worrad provided Western's response to a number of nice Windsor checks with a crushing neutral zone check on Mike Christou midway through the frame. A total of three penalties were handed out in the period, two of which were assessed to Kyle De Coste on the same play for slashing and roughing.
But Western would kill off the four minute infraction— a result that Mustangs fans have become accustomed to this season when you consider that the purple and white have now allowed just two power play goals at home on 56 chances for a success rate of 96.5%.
Whereas the first frame saw the Lancers determine the pace of play, the middle frame saw Western find their feet and push the pace. That fact was probably due in large part to the two penalties that Windsor took early in the period, both of which were assessed for tripping within the first five minutes to Kyle Hope and Dylan Denomme, respectively.
Yet the best power play in the OUA was unable to capitalize, and as a result the Lancers were able to get away scot-free for their early mistakes. Instead, it would be Windsor that would get on the board first, as Beauregard was able to get his stick on a Chad Shepley point shot and bounce the puck pas a helpless Dodds.
Western had good chances both on five-on-five and on the power play. Van Buskirk came up big a number of times when the Mustangs had the man advantage, highlighted by a timely glove save through traffic during the first infraction.Julian Cimadamore was one Mustang that was creating chances at full strength, using his free arm to protect himself as he circled out from the corner to earn himself a backhand chance midway through the frame.
Windsor came out swinging early in the third period but would end up needing some luck of their own within the first four minutes, as Western scored only to have their goal called back. Steve Reese created the chance, blocking a Lancer shot in his own end, racing up the ice, and feeding an open Matt Marantz in front for the tally. But the referees congregated after the play and determined that the puck hadn't crossed the goal line, nullifying the goal.
The Mustangs kept pressing, though, making the Lancers work hard to stay ahead, and whenever Windsor did get free for a chance Dodds was brilliant. One of his best saves of the night came around nine minutes into the third, when he turned aside a rising point shot by leaping up and flinging out his shoulder. Just after the midway mark he would throw another save in the hat, making a flashy glove stop on a rip from the hashmarks.
"Greg has played great," Singer responded when asked about Dodds' play through his last two starts. "He's done a great job for us all year and Marc [Nother] as well when he's been in the pipes. [Dodds] has obviously had to be great the last couple games against York and against Windsor— it's too bad we couldn't reward him."
Van Buskirk was quote impressive too, turning away chance after chance from a Mustangs team that kept finding ways to get the puck in close. Both goaltenders contributed to the quick pace of the game by demonstrating their slick puck handling skills, leaving the crease every chance they got to keep play flowing smoothly.
Next up for the Mustangs is a matchup against Waterloo on Saturday as part of Western's annual Mustang Days celebration. Game time is set for 4:00 p.m. at Thompson Arena.
Notes
On an very positive note, Ryan Kirk, a player who has been struggling to return from injury this year, was able to draw back into the lineup last week against the Lions and was back in again on Thursday night. Speaking to John Urban of Mustangs TV after the game, the third-year forward admitted that he wasn't sure he'd get back to playing hockey and called the last two games "a small victory for myself." When asked by Urban if he had a message for players in similar situations, he offered up this nugget: "I quoted Scott Fitzgerald on Facebook the day I came back, it was 'don't confuse a single defeat with a final defeat.' So I did get hurt but I'm determined not to let it get me down and take me out of the game. When I leave the game I want it to be on my own terms, not on someone else's."
Laurier 5 @ York 3
Toronto - The York University Lions men's hockey team was defeated by the Laurier Golden Hawks 5-3 in a home game on Thursday (Jan. 29) at Canlan Ice Sports.
Despite a goal in the third from Michael Santini (Woodbridge, Ont.) that tied the game 3-3, the Golden Hawks were able to score two late goals to secure the win. Laurier left wing Tyler Stothers played an outstanding game, scoring a hat trick.
The loss dropped the Lions to 9-13-2 on the season, and they are currently tied for sixth place in the OUA standings. However, they have just a one-point lead on the teams out of the playoffs. Laurier improved to 9-14-1 with the win, and is currently tied for eighth.
The Lions dominated the possession in the first period, but it was the Golden Hawks who found a break at 12:02 when Ryan Lopes took a shot at the net, but was denied by Chris Perugini (King City, Ont.). Stothers picked up the rebound and slid the puck underneath Perugini's legs, putting the Golden Hawks in the lead 1-0.
The Golden Hawks came charging again at 18:49 when Stothers challenged Perugini in a one-on-one battle and chipped it over his left shoulder, scoring a short-handed goal to give his team a 2-0 lead after one.
The second period proved to be an exciting one with a total of three goals scored. The Golden Hawks slithered in a goal just 49 seconds in when four of the Golden Hawks bombarded the Lions' defence and Zach Lorentz snuck the puck into the net to give Laurier a three-goal lead.
Less than two minutes later, Reid Jackman (Etobicoke, Ont.) sent the puck through Golden Hawks' goalie Vinny Merante's legs at 2:16 to cut the deficit to 3-1.
At the end of the period, the Lions rushed the Golden Hawks' net and continuously hounded Merante until Shayne Rover (Newmarket, Ont.) got a break and forced the puck into the net with a power play goal at 18:51, and the Lions trailed by just one heading into the intermission.
The third period only came to life in the last six minutes of play as the Lions showered the net with shots. At 15:59 one of Santini's shots finally reached the back of the net as he tied the game 3-3, with the hope of sending the game into overtime.
However, with less than two minutes remaining Stothers completed the hat trick and netted the winner by scoring a one-touch power-play goal from an assist by Derek Schoenmaker which put the Golden Hawks back into the lead.
They added an empty netter off the stick of Matt Dupont with seven seconds remaining to secure the win.