WATERLOO, Ont. – A five goal second period led the Waterloo Warriors to a 9-3 win over the Western Mustangs on Wednesday night at the CIF Arena in the regular season opener for both teams.
 
Rylan Bechtel, Zach Core, and Spenser Cobbold provided the offence for the Mustangs in the loss, with Core's marker coming less than two minutes into his first OUA regular season game.
 
Keigan Goetz led the way for the Warriors with three goals in his OUA regular season debut, followed by two from Joey Champigny, and one each from Eric Cimino, Mitchell Smith, Nick Halagian, and Michael Morgan.
 
Things got off to a fast start on Wednesday night, with the Mustangs scoring twice in the first 90 seconds of the contest. Bechtel scored Western's first goal of the season at the 56-second mark, converting passes from Rob Polesello and Steven Beyers.
 
Just over 30 seconds later, Core extended the lead to 2-0 coming off assists from Ray Huether and returning Mustang Chris Corbeil.
 
Waterloo answered back with Goertz first goal of the evening less than three minutes later, before Cobbold tallied a power play marker at 6:21 to re-establish the Mustangs two-goal lead.
 
Champigny rounded out the fast-paced start at 12:32 with a power play goal of his own to cut Western's lead to 3-2 heading into the first intermission.
 
The game's quick scoring pace continued into the second frame, as five different Warriors scored goals in the period, including converting on three power play opportunities.
 
Waterloo would go on to add another two goals in the third to make it a 9-3 final for the Warriors.
 
Next up for the Mustangs is a pair of exhibition contests, with Western set to head to Connecticut to take on the Yale Bulldogs on Friday and Princeton Tigers on Saturday before returning to their OUA schedule next week.