LONDON, Ont. – A hat-trick from Mike Hammond helped the Lakehead Thunderwolves to a 4-1 win over the Western Mustangs in game two of their OUA West Quarterfinals series on Saturday afternoon at Thompson Arena. With the win the Thunderwolves take the best-of-three series 2-0 and advance to the OUA West Semi-Finals.
 
"Well it's a good way to say it – a quick series," said Mustangs head coach Clarke Singer about the two game series. "Our league is so close, the playoffs are so close; I though the guys in there played a good series. Lakehead played a great series. [We] didn't have a lot of puck luck around the net – the series had to have over 100 attempts, close to 90 shots on net and to not be able to find the net when we're a pretty good offensive team, it's tough.
 
"The most important thing is we're losing nine great young men that aren't coming back next year. It's a tough time."
 
Hammond's three goals were also the first three of the contest, giving the senior forward a natural hat trick, and four total goals in the two-game series. He also assisted on Nathan Bruyere's goal, making it a four point night for the Victoria native.
 
Justin McDonald picked up the win for Lakehead between the pipes, putting on a impressive performance that saw him stop 31 of the 32 shots sent his way. Not to be outdone by his opponent, Marc Nother looked strong in the Mustangs net, stopping 30 shots and making key saves throughout the contest.
 
After a fairly even start, the Mustangs earned the game's first major scoring chance halfway through the first period as Julian Cimadamore cut to the slot from the side boards, sliding the puck to Jake Worrad, however McDonald was there to make the stop and keep things even.
 
The game wouldn't stay scoreless for long however, as less than a minute later Hammond received a pass near the face-off circle and fired a wrist shot that Nother got a piece of, however the puck had enough momentum to trickle in and give the Thunderwolves a 1-0 lead.
 
After Western found themselves in penalty trouble with back-to-back infractions late in the frame, Lakehead extended its lead as Keith Grondin fired a pass from the point to Hammond at the side of the net who slid the puck into the cage for his second of the game.
 
Hammond completed the natural hat trick a few minutes into the second, much to the displeasure of the Mustangs faithful in attendance. He picked up his third of the game following a mad scramble in the Mustangs crease that ended with Hammond jamming the puck in to make it 3-0 Thunderwolves.
 
The Mustangs began to take control of the play following Hammond's goal, pressuring the Thunderwolves and generating shots, however McDonald was there to turn them aside. Cimadamore had Western's best chance of the period with just over five minutes remaining, stealing the puck at the Lakehead blueline to break in alone on McDonald, however the netminder was there to shut the door, preserving his team's 3-0 lead heading into the third.
 
Western continued to pressure the Thunderwolves in the final frame, outshooting their opponents by a 17-10 margin. Despite putting pucks on net, McDonald continued his strong play from the first two periods, before Matt Marantz was able to break the shutout just under nine minutes into the period. Although Marantz finished the play it was another Matt, Matt Paltridge that got things started, firing a shot from the point that was deflected by Kyle De Coste which Marantz then picked up and fired it into the back of the net to cut Lakehead's lead to 3-1.
 
Unfortunately for the Mustangs that was as close as things would get as Bruyere added an insurance marker on the power play at 14:19 to give Lakehead a 4-1 win.
 
"Honestly I think it was just goal scoring," said Paltridge when asked what the difference was in the series. "We just couldn't seem to generate any goals from the opportunities that we were given, and unfortunately it is a numbers game and [Lakehead] were just able to capitalize."

Following his final game in purple and white, Paltridge said that the thing he'd remember most about his time as a Mustang were the "unbelievable friendships."

"You don't work harder anywhere else aside from here; this is literally a full time dedication," said Paltridge. "[I had] an unbelievable time at the university, probably the best place to come regarding student experience. Honestly, nothing but fond memories; it's been outstanding."

Coach Singer was proud of his team for their performance this season, saying that "they've done everything we asked them all year."

"I think we've had one of the best special teams in the country, one of the best offensive teams in the country - I thought we were in real good shape going into the playoffs with the character of the guys that we have in that room," said Singer. "Hold your head high; you played well. Our league is so close that anything can happen at any time, you can see by some of the other scores in game ones around the league: you never know what's going to happen."

NOTES: Lakehead's two game sweep marks the first time the Mustangs have been swept in the playoffs since the 2010 OUA West Final, which was also against the Thunderwolves… Tonight's game is only the third time all year that the Mustangs have allowed two power play goals in a contest, with the other two coming in Western's 4-3 win over Windsor on December 3, and in their 4-3 loss to Waterloo on October 18