WATERLOO, Ont. – Marissa Redmond scored 13:55 into overtime to lift the Waterloo Warriors to a 3-2 win over the Western Mustangs in the first game of their OUA Quarterfinal series on Thursday night at the CIF Arena.

The Warriors take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series, after being swept out of the playoffs in the quarterfinal round by the Mustangs last season.

It was the Mustangs that dominated play for the majority of regulation, beginning in the opening period with a strong cycle game in the Warriors offensive zone that helped keep Waterloo without a shot for the first half of the frame. Goaltender Samantha Sluys, who ranked in the top 10 in goals against average in the OUA in the regular season, did well to keep the game scoreless in the early going, making several key saves including stopping Mustang forward Alyssa Chiarello in the slot on back-to-back occasions.

Sluys' teammates would reward her with a goal just over halfway through the period to open the scoring in the series. Defenceman Dana Fairbarn picked up her first goal of the season at a crucial time, taking a shot along the boards that put the Warriors up 1-0.

Western made sure to not take their foot off the gas pedal following the goal, continuing their possession game in the offensive zone and eventually tied the game on an April Clark breakaway goal with five minutes remaining in the period.

The 1-1 score would hold for the remainder of the first period and the entirety of the second as well. Both goaltenders did well to keep the other team's shooters out of the back of the net with Sluys being by far the busier goaltender of the evening up to that point.

Western more than doubled up on the Warriors in the shots on goal department in a period where open ice was easier to find and more shots were directed at the goalies overall. By the time the horn sounded in the arena to signify the end of the second period, the Mustangs held a 31-11 shot advantage, but the Warriors showed why they were a top four defensive unit during the regular season by keeping the score equal heading into the final frame.

Waterloo's offence began to break out in the third period, kickstarted by a go-ahead goal from Amy Barnard, her first in five games. The Warriors' strong defence made opportunities hard to come by for the Mustangs for most the period, ultimately outshooting them 11-8, becoming the first team in seven games to outshoot the Mustangs in a period.

Despite the Warriors holding the shot advantage in the frame, it was the Mustangs that netted the final goal of regulation, tying the game on a well-executed deke and shot through a screen by team captain Emma Pearson with just under seven minutes remaining.

Pearson's goal forced overtime between the two teams for the second time this season. While the Warriors outshot the Mustangs 7-2 in the extra period, the period was not void of scoring opportunities for the latter. Western narrowly missed on two shots from the slot, however the second quickly turned into a two-on-one for the Warriors on the other end of the ice which was capped off with a goal by Redmond to give the Warriors the victory and the series lead.

The Mustangs and Warriors shift their series to the Thompson Arena for game two on Friday, February 24. A win by the Mustangs will send the series to a third and deciding game on Sunday, while a Warriors victory will see them advance to the OUA Semifinals. Game time on Friday is set for 7 p.m., and fans can tune in to all the action on OUA.tv and CHRW Radio.