LONDON, Ont. – Two goals from Luke Karaim helped the Western Mustangs break a seven-game losing streak with a 6-3 win over the Laurentian Voyageurs on Friday at Thompson Arena.
 
While the final score shows an easy win, the game was anything but. The Mustangs jumped out to an early 3-0 lead only to see that lead quickly evaporated by the middle of the second frame. However, behind the energy of more than 1,500 school children in attendance from 17 London-area schools, Western was able to rebound and take a 4-3 lead into the third which would not be relinquished.
 
"[The losses] were piling up emotionally on us so nice to have the energy of the crowd here today, said Mustangs head coach Clarke Singer. "I think we really used that in the first period to get out to that three goal lead and even when they tied it up we used it in the second to come back and play a pretty good game."
 
In the first period, Western's offence announced that it was officially back. The Mustangs jumped to a 3-0 lead on the back of a Mitchell Brooks goal as well as both Karaim markers.
 
Brooks was the beneficiary of a sweet feed in the slot from Mitchell Fitzmorris and buried the puck with ease to put Western on the board just over three minutes into the contest.
 
Each of Karaim's goals were scored after nice assists as well. First, Matt Marantz fed a wide open Karaim right in front of the net, where Karaim roofed the puck. As the period was winding down, Karaim scored his second when Ray Heuther found him at the top of the faceoff circle. Karaim would wire a slapshot home, sending the noise meter skyrocketing inside Thompson Arena.
 
"We really played with the energy that the kids brought. We didn't know what it felt like to win there for a while but it certainly feels nice right now," said Karaim.
 
Despite the strong start for the purple and white, Laurentian controlled the final few minutes of the frame and began to cut into the Mustangs lead. Just 17 seconds after Jed Rusk took his second penalty of the period, Voyageur forward Christopher Smith batted the puck out of midair amongst a scramble and beat goalie Luke Peresinni to cut the lead to 3-1.
 
After winning the ensuing faceoff, Darcy Haines streaked down the wing and sniped one low and far side, cutting the Mustangs lead to 3-2 heading into the intermission.
 
Laurentian tied the game midway through the second on a shot from the blueline by Vincent Llorca, but Western would respond late in the period to retake the lead.
 
Mike DiPaolo stripped a Voyageur defenceman in front of the net with just over two minutes remaining in the period before beating goalie Joel Vienneau glove side for his first goal of the season.
 
In the third period, Marantz recorded his first goal of the season into an empty net twenty seconds before Connor Chartier scored his team-leading fifth to settle the score at 6-3.
 
"It was really fun and it was more just we needed to get a win today so everyone was ready to go and when you have the crowd behind you it's a kick in the butt to get a win," said Marantz.
 
The Mustangs look to continue their winning ways tomorrow night against Nipissing. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. at Thompson Arena.