This Weekend on the ice vs. McGill & Ottawa
McGill Preview
Friday, November 9 - 7:00pm @ Thompson Arena
The Western Mustangs men’s hockey team (5-3-0) looks to roll at just the right time: the Western hockey squad is on a three game winning streak after sweeping Nipissing and Ryerson with back-to-back wins last weekend. The Patrick Powers-led team flexed its offensive muscle, netting five goals in each contest with Ohio native Josh Unice turning in more solid play between the pipes. This Friday evening the team faces defending National Champions, the McGill Redmen. The Mustangs have an intense rivalry with McGill having faced them on multiple occasions, including two most recent Queen’s Cups and the CIS National Championship game last March, where Western lost an overtime heartbreaker. Even though the Mustangs are young, the rookies know who to be watching on the ice floor in order to defer another loss and climb up the OUA rankings this weekend from a current fifth place position.
In this young season, McGill also sits at a 5-3-0 record and looks to some fresh faces to step up and fill the place of former Redmen leader Alexandre Picard-Hooper upon his graduation. Forward Marc-Olivier Vachon has filled in admirably thus far, netting ten points for McGill while Jonathan Brunelle has added some much needed fire – leading the team with four goals. In between the pipes, the Redmen have been going with a two man goalie rotation quite successfully while they continue to find their scoring touch. Hubert Morin and Andrew Flemming have combined for two shut outs and a .912 save percentage.
For the purple and white, Steve Reese and Daniel Erlich are key in spreading the puck around, in particular to Zach Harnden who already has eight goals in the young season. Western has been able to put the puck in the back of the net with great proficiency and with a solid backend led by Unice with a .925 save percentage.
Ottawa Preview
Saturday, November 10 - 7pm @ Thompson Arena
The Mustangs reacquaint with the Gee-Gees as part of the back half of a two game home stand at Thompson Arena. Western currently rides a hot three game winning streak due to the combination of solid goaltending from former Windsor Spitfire and USA under 18 national team member Josh Unice, and the scoring of 2011-2012 rookie of the year Zach Harnden. Friday’s game against McGill Redmen will set the stage for the Stangs, ready to face Ottawa on Saturday.
The team from the nation’s capital, Ottawa, is led by Luc Olivier Blain who is in double-digit points, helping Ottawa sit second – in front of the Redmen – in the OUA East so far this season. Goaltender Russell Abbott has played every minute in all eight contests in the net for Ottawa (4-1-3) and already has stopped 184 shots, among the top in the OUA. Ottawa will need more of the same to match up with the purple and white on Saturday.
