LONDON, Ont. - Western edged Lakehead 3-1 in a low-scoring, hard-hitting contest in the first game of a double-header weekend on Friday Jan 14. The Mustangs hand the Thunderwolves their first loss in ten games.

Mustangs goals were scored by Aaron Snow (Windsor, Ont.), Keaton Turkiewicz (Brantford, Ont.) and Kevin Baker (Georgetown, Ont.). Baker had two assists on the night while Turkiewicz had one. Adam Sergerie notched Lakehead’s only goal.

Western opened the scoring at the 4:12 mark of the first period as Snow, Baker and Turkiewicz exploded on a 3-on-1 opportunity. Baker broke past the Thunderwolves’ defenders and put a shot off goaltender Alex Dupuis’ left pad. Snow attacked the net and jumped on the loose rebound for a 1-0 lead.

Lakehead started the second period hungry for a goal to even up the match as they attacked offensively while Western struggled to clear the puck. Thunderwolves’ Sergerie capitalized on a scoring opportunity, beating Mustangs’ Anthony Grieco (Brampton, Ont.) for a 1-1- tie.

The game’s intensity increased during the second period as both teams battled for the lead. The two competitors committed to fast skating and hard checks. Snow fell victim to Lakehead’s charge as he was taken into the boards and left the game at 5:56 of the second and did not return.

Midway through the second frame, the Mustangs challenged Thunderwolves’ territory looking to add the game’s tying goal. Lakehead’s defender threw his stick to save the play and Western was granted a penalty shot. Scott Aarssen (London, Ont.) skated towards the net and fired a slap shot at Dupuis that he deflected away and the game continued.

The game remained tied until 8:27 into the third period as Baker, Turkiewicz and Kyle Lamb (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) skated in on another 3-on-1 opportunity. Baker launched the puck over a sliding Lakehead defenceman to Turkiewicz who deked Dupuis and put Western up 2-1 over the Thunderwolves.

Lakehead continued to fight for a tying goal but could not beat Western’s netminder Grieco who turned aside 35 shots to secure the win.

Baker added an empty net goal in the final minute of play for a final score of 3-1.

Head coach Clarke Singer commented on the win against Lakehead, “They’re going to be there at the end of the year so it’s always nice to get a win against them. We’ve got to tidy up a couple things and come back ready to go tomorrow.”

“The intensity does always pick up in the second half”, added Singer regarding the competition in the 2011 part of the season.

The two teams face off for a re-match tomorrow evening at Thompson Arena for the annual Jack Frost Cup. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m.