LONDON, Ont. – Forward Brittany Clapham scored two goals and goaltender Katie Jacobs stopped all 24 shots she faced to lead the Mustangs to a 3-0 win over the UOIT Ridgebacks on Sunday afternoon at Thompson Arena.
 
The win came in Western's first game back from the winter break and gives the Mustangs a 9-1-4-0 record, moving the team into a tie for second place in the OUA with Nipissing. The loss gives UOIT a 3-1-9-1 record on the year.   
 
Mustangs head coach David Barrett was aware that the Mustangs would need to settle into their game following the long break.
 
"You always fear some rust coming off a lay off like that but the other teams the same way," he said, "We had a good week of practice and we stressed some things that we saw glimpses of tonight."
 
Clapham's two highlight reel goals came midway through both the second and third period and gives the Tottenham, Ont., native five goals on the year. Jacobs win is her second of the year, with her other victory also being a shutout back on October 31 against Laurentian.
 
Both teams did need some time in the first period to settle in to their respective game plans. The first ten minutes saw a tentative back and forth as both teams struggled to break the puck out and sustain offensive zonetime. UOIT picked up the pressure first, hemming the Mustangs in their zone for an extended period of time just past the midway point of the period. The Ridgebacks peppered Jacobs with several shots but were unable to beat the fourth-year netminder.
 
The Mustangs capitalized on their goaltenders sharp form by breaking the deadlock on their second power play of the period. Stacey Scott fired a shot from the top of the zone that snaked its way through the traffic and eventually found it's way into the net after kicking off a Ridgeback defenders skate.
 
The Ridgebacks were given an opportunity to respond quickly as Mustang defender Brianna Iazzolino was sent off for cross-checking minutes later but they were not able to beat Jacobs and the penalty kill which did a fine job blocking shots and clearing pucks out of the zone.
 
"A lot of penalty killing is good goaltending," said Barrett "Katie had a great game today. She's played two games and had two shutouts."
 
Jacobs was consistently square to the shooter and playing well out of the paint making the 5'6 netminder look big between the iron and helping to keep the Mustangs in front 1-0 after one.
 
The second period opened at a much faster pace as both teams found their games. The transition game improved and helped to create equally good scoring chances at both ends of the ice. The second period began without a whistle for the first six and a half minutes.
 
Clapham scored her first of two goals on a highlight reel effort halfway through the frame. Clapham chipped it by her defender on the half-wall, took it strong to the middle with two skill moves and fired a shot below the arm of Ridgeback netminder Cassie Charette for her fourth goal of the year.
 
"The shot wasn't a very good one," said Clapham after the game, "I got kind of lucky that it went in."
 
Clapham increased the lead to 3-0 after another great effort in the third period. Clapham took the puck into the zone, and delayed to freeze the goalie before roofing the puck high blocker on Charette.
 
"Megan [Taylor] passed me the puck and I actually had Marlowe [Pecora] going wide as well," said Clapham, "She called for it and everyone kind of drifted away so I saw that I had the wide open net. Really nice play by both of them."
 
"[Clapham's] play has steadily improved in the two years I've been here," said Barrett, "She has become more confident and is understanding the game more."
 
The Mustangs locked the third period down from their defensive zone out and secured the 3-0 win.
 
The Mustangs play York next week, marking the second week in a row that the Western will only have one game on the schedule.
 
"Tough rink to play in for us. But I don't mind it," said Barrett when asked about the light schedule. "It gives an opportunity to get a lot of practice in."