The Western Mustangs women's hockey team wrapped up the 2014-15 regular season on a high note with a pair of wins this past weekend, with the purple and white downing the Queen's Gaels 4-1 on Friday before shutting out the UOIT Ridgebacks 3-0 on Saturday.
 
The set of wins allowed the team to finish their season with a 20-1-3 record and a place atop the OUA standings; a spot they have held for 14 consecutive weeks. Furthermore, Saturday's victory over the Ridgebacks also marked the Mustangs 20^th win of the season, a first in program history for the purple and white.
 
While goaltender Kelly Campbell has proven to be one of the best in the OUA, topping the league in save percentage with .954 and ranking second in goals against average, win percentage and total saves, the Mustangs decided to demonstrate their versatility between the pipes on Saturday night by putting back-up goalie Katie Jacobs in the net for the second half of the contest.
 
Jacobs proved that she could hold her own between the posts as she stopped eight shots over the course of a period and a half to contribute to the 3-0 shutout win over the Ridgebacks.
 
With Campbell and Jacobs protecting the Mustangs goal line, team point leader Kendra Broad continued to post impressive results as she racked up two assists on Friday night before collecting a goal and an assist on Saturday night; rounding out her debut season in the OUA with a total of 15 goals, 15 assists, and 30 points.
 
Broad has been nothing short of amazing all season, having contributed points in 19 of 24 games in regular season action. The Lindenwood University transfer tops the OUA in power play goals with eight, and also ranks second in the league for goals, points, and assists.
 
As the top team in the league, the Mustangs will head into the first round of playoff action against the Nipissing Lakers who clinched the eighth spot in the OUA standings.
 
Western vs. Nipissing - OUA Quarterfinals (Best of Three)
 
Despite ending the regular season with a 1-0 loss to the Guelph Gryphons on Saturday afternoon, the Nipissing Lakers were able to capture a playoff position for the first time in the team's brief two-year existence.
 
With a four game winning streak leading into last Saturday's contest against the Gryphons, the Lakers were able to finish their season in the upper half of the OUA standings with a record of 12-9-3.

Although the Lakers have suffered two losses at the hands of the Mustangs in regular season action this year, they have proven to be one of the Mustangs toughest opponents. In week three Western edged out the Lakers 2-1, however Mustangs head coach Chris Higgins noted that the contest could have easily gone the other way as the Lakers put up some very strong resistance to the league-leading Mustangs.
 
In the Mustang's second meeting with the Lakers in early January the blue and white proved just how strong of a team they were when they took the Mustangs into shootout action. Although it came down to a goalie game, the purple and white managed to capture the 3-2 victory and claim their second win over the Lakers.
 
Nipssing has proven time and time again that they are a force to be reckoned with, and Higgins does not underestimate the potential of the team, having noted earlier this season that, "[The Lakers] are a very strong team. They are in the middle of the league but I think they are one of the top four teams in the league."
 
Despite the heartbreaking one-goal losses to the Mustangs throughout the regular season, the Lakers will now have a chance to avenge their losses when it really counts this Wednesday in the first round of playoff action. With an opportunity to knock the Mustangs out of the playoffs this week and end their quest for a national title, there is no doubt that the Lakers will be coming out strong on Wednesday night in game one.

OUA Quarterfinals Schedule

Game 1 - Western at Nipissing - Wednesday, February 18 at 7 p.m.
Game 2 - Nipissing at Western - Friday, February 20 at 7 p.m. - Watch Live on OUA.tv
Game 3 (IF NECESSARY) - Nipissing at Western - Saturday, February 21 at 4 p.m. - Watch Live on OUA.tv