Box Score TORONTO - After a 5-1 victory over the Nipissing Lakers on Friday night the Western Mustangs men’s hockey team continued their second straight weekend on the road by heading to Toronto to take on the Ryerson Rams. Despite falling behind 3-0 to start the game the Mustangs stormed back with five unanswered goals to earn a 5-3 victory.
 
"We were happy with the result but not in the way we played,” said Western head coach Patrick Powers. “Our effort was good offensively but we need to play a more disciplined defensive game to be successful long term."
 
The Rams jumped out to a 2-0 towards the end of the first period with forward Jamie Haines and defenceman Michael Paolo scoring goals just over two minutes apart to put Ryerson up early.
 
Ryerson looked to extend their lead even further early in the second period on a breakaway, however first-year netminder John Cullen was able to shut the door and keep the lead at 2-0.
 
Cullen’s big save seemed to swing the momentum in Western’s favour and Matt Clarke would find the back of the net on a power play goal four minutes into the period. Just 48 seconds later Steve Reese would tie things up at two taking a pass from Dan Erlich and Clarke to score another power play goal.
 
After tying things up the Mustangs weren’t done with the offence in the second frame as defenceman Geoff Killing fired a shot past Ryerson’s Steve Gleeson to put the Mustangs into the lead. Clarke scored his second of the game in the final minute of the period to widen Western’s lead heading into the final 20 minutes.
 
Things wouldn’t get any better for the Rams in the third period, with Zach Harnden getting his eighth goal on the season to put Western up 5-1, and the team eventually settled for a 5-2 victory.
 
The Mustangs return home next weekend starting things off with a University Cup final rematch against the McGill Redmen on Friday night before hosting the Ottawa Gee-Gees on Saturday. Game time for both events is 7:00 p.m.