Box Score ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – Matt Clarke provided a pair of goals while Josh Unice turned away 21 shots to lead the Western Mustangs men’s hockey team to their first win of 2013, defeating the Brock Badgers 3-2 on Friday night. The win keeps the Mustangs in first place in the OUA, and extended the team’s winning streak to 12 regular season games.
 
“We showed a good commitment to defence tonight,” said Western interim head coach Patrick Powers following the win. “There were a couple of lapses where we gave up an opportunity and they were able to capitalize, but overall I think we were able to play a full 60 minutes and beat a tough team in a tough arena.”
 
Clarke scored Western’s two final goals to give him 14 goals and 28 points on the season, tied for the most in the country. Steve Reese assisted on both of the London native’s power play markers, including the game winner midway through the third period, to put him in fourth place in the national scoring race with 26 points (five goals, 21 assists). Shaun Furlong scored Western’s first goal of the contest, his third of the year, off of an assist from Jason Furlong. Sean Jones was the top scorer for Brock, getting the team on the board in the second period and assisting on the Badgers second goal of the evening.
 
Unice picked up his 12th win of the season, pulling him to the top of the CIS leaderboard tied with the Saskatchewan Huskies’ Ryan Holfeld. Rookie goaltender Dalton McGrath was strong in the Brock net, stopping 28 shots on the evening.
 
Western returns to action tomorrow night, facing the UOIT Ridgebacks for the first time this season and beginning a stretch that sees the two teams play three times over the next three weeks. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the Thompson Arena.