After closing out 2017 on a winning note by dominating the Windsor Lancers 7-3, the Mustangs will be looking to make a push towards a playoff position early in 2018, with games against the Waterloo Warriors and Ryerson Rams. With a 5-9-2 record, the Mustangs sit in ninth in the OUA West, one point back of the final playoff spot.

Despite injuries playing havoc with the lineup, the Mustangs have competed with the best teams in league, with two narrow losses to the top ranked Guelph, and having taken a top three team in York to a shootout.

The Mustangs offense has provided hope for the team, coming in at seventh overall in total goals (56). Western has seen success with their power play, capitalizing on the man advantage 25% of the time. The power play has been proven to be the most successful in the entire OUA, and has contributed 15 goals to the Western offense.

Fourth year left wing Trevor Warnaar has been the top scorer for the Mustangs, with 10 goals and 14 points over 16 games, while Rob Polesello has added three goals and 17 points of his own. Depth has been key to the Western offense, with 17 other Mustangs contributing at least one goal to the scoresheet.  

Western vs Waterloo – Friday, January 5^th, 7:00 p.m.

Waterloo comes into the matchup with a 5-8-3 record, putting them in eighth in the OUA West, one point ahead of the Mustangs for the final playoff position. A win against Waterloo for the Mustangs would leapfrog them ahead of the Warriors, breaking them into the playoff bubble.

The Mustangs' meeting with the Warriors will be the first of two matchups they have in the new year. The game will be the second of the season between these two teams, as the purple and white suffered a 9-3 blowout loss on the road to the Warriors despite a hot start for the Mustangs to start the period. Western will be looking for its first victory over Waterloo since October 16, 2016 when they 3-1 win in Thompson Arena.

Despite their low ranking in the OUA West, the Warriors have shown that they can compete in the league, claiming a win over the third place York Lions, while taking the tied for first Ryerson Rams to overtime earlier this season.

The Warriors offense can pack a punch, with 48 goals over 16 games, and averaging 33 shots on net a game. Keigan Goetz leads the way for the Warriors, with 9 goals and 12 points in 15 games, while Daniel Perigo is the team's leading point scorer, with three goals and 13 points.

The Mustangs power play may have the opportunity to shine, as Waterloo is currently second in the league in penalty minutes, racking up 365, with a bottom of the league penalty kill that is only successful 81% of the time. The Warriors defense has struggled throughout the season, with a 4.09 goals against average and a .885 save percentage.

Western at Ryerson – Saturday, January 6^th, 7:15 p.m.

Ryerson comes into Saturday's game tied for first in the OUA West, with an 11-4-1 record. The team is 7-3 in their last ten games before the winter break, closing out 2017 on a three game win streak. The game kicks off a four game home stand for the Rams, who will be looking to move into sole possession of first in the OUA West.

Western will be entering their game against Ryerson for their second and final meeting of the season following a 5-2 home-loss in late November. The Mustangs struggled to contain the Rams' scoring from the opening face off, where Ryerson scored 4 times in the first two periods to force Western to play from behind. The Mustangs will be looking for their first win over Ryerson since an overtime win over the Rams on February 9, 2016, as the team has struggled against Ryerson in recent history.

The Ryerson offense is one of the most dangerous in the league, with the fourth most goals for overall in the entire OUA, with 65. Their power play is one to rival the Mustangs, capitalizing 20% of the time, and contributing 12 goals to the offense. Ryerson has incredible depth up front, with 24 out of 25 players adding a point or more to the offense. In fact, the only player on the Rams roster without a point is their back-up goaltender.

Matt Mistele and Cavin Leth are the top scorers for the Rams, leading the teams with 13 and 10 goals respectively, for 29 and 19 points apiece. Mistele is currently leading the OUA in goals, and is second in points. He is also fourth overall in assists.