The Western Mustangs women's hockey team will play for their second consecutive OUA championship on Saturday when they travel to Guelph to take on the CIS No. 1 ranked Gryphons. The Mustangs earned their way to the McCaw Cup Final in dramatic fashion, securing their OUA Semi-Final series against Nipissing in three games, finishing the series with a 1-0 win in triple overtime on Sunday.
 
The series clinching goal came courtesy of first-year Mustang Lyndsay Kirkham who scored a highlight reel goal a little more than 12 minutes into the third period. The goal was Kirkham's second of the playoffs.
 
The goal by Kirkham was perhaps only outdone by the performance of goaltender Kelly Campbell, who recorded a shutout after facing 46 shots in nearly six full periods of play. The performance gives her a 1.06 goals against average and .959 save percentage – numbers that are tops among all OUA goalies in the post-season.
 
Western's leading playoff scorers remain linemates Evra Levesque and Amanda Pereira, who each have six points in the team's five games, tying them for first in the OUA.
 
McCaw Cup Final - OUA Championship – Western at Guelph – Saturday, March 12 at 2pm – Watch LIVE on OUA.tv and Rogers Cable 13, listen on CHRW Radio 94.9 FM
 
Guelph enjoyed an outstanding season, maintaining the number one CIS rank for most of the year. The Gryhpons lost only three times in 2015-16, and finished the regular season on an 11-gmae winnin streak, a streak that was only interupted in the first round of the playoffs with a 3-2 loss to Laurentian. They led the OUA in team goals and goals against, proving that their defensive structure is just as important to their game as the offensive production.
 
The regular season meetings between the OUA's top teams ended in a split series, with Guelph handing Western a 3-0 loss in the season opener, and the Mustangs responding with a 3-2 shootout victory in their final game of 2015.
 
After dispatching the Voyageurs in three games, Guelph swept the Laurier Golden Hawks in the semi-finals, winning both games by a 2-1 score. 
 
Forward Christine Grant, with three goals and six points, has led the offensive effort since moving into the post-season. Throughout the regular season, however, it was Averi Nooren who took the lead. Her 14 goals put the fourth year forward fourth overall in the OUA.
 
Starting goaltender Valerie Lamenta led the OUA in regular season save percentage (.957), and has posted a .930 since moving into the playoffs.
 
Saturday's game will will be a tightly contested affair as both teams look to bring home the McCaw Cup. The Mustangs will be looking to defend last year's title and capture the second OUA banner in team history, while Guelph will be aiming for their fifth in program history and first since 1997-98.