LONDON, Ont. – The Western Mustangs could not avenge an early season loss to the Laurentian Voyageurs, dropping their second matchup of the season between the two teams by a 3-2 score on Saturday afternoon at Thompson Arena.

The Voyageurs move to one point behind the Mustangs on the season as the competition in the middle of the standings remains fierce. Western's record following the regulation loss is 6-2-8-1 (23 points) through 17 games, good for sixth place in the OUA alongside the Queen's Gaels.

The purple and white got off to a slow start in the opening period, only firing their first shot on target six minutes into the game. The pace of play would pick up near the end of the period, however, as both teams got on the scoreboard within the last five minutes to head into the intermission tied 1-1.

Fourth-year forward Lyndsay Kirkham continued her torrid scoring pace, registering a power play goal on a 5-on-3 opportunity before Laurentian's Taylor Weber evened the score and extended her personal point streak to four consecutive games.

The Voyageurs looked strong to begin the second period, quickly earning a power play opportunity and converting it into a goal with four seconds remaining on the advantage off of a deflection by Samantha Morell.

The momentum would swing in Western's favour later in the period when April Clark scored her second goal in three games to bring her team even at 2-2, which was followed by back-to-back power play opportunities. Despite tallying several shots on goal between the two power plays, they were unable to beat Laurentian goaltender Karen Collins. The teams headed into the second intermission tied 2-2 and with little difference in the shots on goal category.

The Voyageurs jumped ahead just over a minute into the third on the strength of freshman Kennedy Lanktree's fourth goal of the season, forcing the Mustangs to play from behind for most the period. They pressured Collins and the Voyageurs throughout the frame, including two opportunities where Collins was far out of position in goal, but the Mustangs forwards couldn't quite get their sticks on the puck to convert on the opportunities.

"It was the little details that mattered," Western forward Evra Levesque said with regards to the difference between the teams in the third. "I think it could've gone either way."

The Voyageurs would end up shutting the door on the Mustangs' comeback effort, securing the 3-2 victory.

"We got the puck to the net," Mustangs assistant coach Blair Webster shared about the team's effort to equalize the score in the third, "but we couldn't capitalize on our opportunities, and as a coach that's a frustrating part of the game".

Western wraps up their five-game home stand tomorrow, January 15, at 4 p.m. against the second place Nipissing Lakers, who defeated the Mustangs 2-0 back in October. The Mustangs will be looking to avenge that loss on Sunday, and fans can catch all the action live on OUA.tv