TORONTO, Ont. - Following a 3-0 shutout loss to the Toronto Varsity Blues in game one of the OUA semi-finals, the Mustangs will be back on the road this Friday, March 1, where they will look to tie the series up at one game apiece and force a third and final game.

Although Western entered the series as the higher seed, finishing the season in second place in the OUA, Toronto proved throughout the year to be right on par with the purple and white, ending the season just below the Mustangs in third in the province. The Mustangs split the season series against the Varsity Blues earlier this year, earning a 5-3 victory early in the season before falling 3-2 in a shootout loss months later. However, Wednesday's playoff affair left Western struggling to score with the same ease they did throughout the regular season and the first round of the playoffs.

Toronto's goalie, Erica Fryer, was the main catalyst behind Toronto's victory, as she pulled off an impressive 27-save performance to keep the purple and white off the board throughout the night. The Mustangs also had trouble keeping Taylor Trussler in check throughout the game, as she tallied a goal and an assist on the evening to seal the victory. Trussler, who has proven to be a consistent offensive option for Toronto all season long, will undoubtedly be a focus for the purple and white as they look to rebound this Friday.

However, keeping the Varsity Blues off the board is easier said than done, as Toronto finished third in the province in goals per game, averaging 2.71 a game, and sat first in power-play goals. Scoring goals have almost become inevitable for Toronto, so Western has to hope match that same offensive firepower by converting on the power-play, an area they struggled with throughout the regular season. The Mustangs sat ninth in the OUA in power-play goals and seventh in power-play percentage, both aspects which the purple and white must improve on if they hope to keep this series alive, as they failed to convert on any of their 30:53 power-play minutes.

Although Western's goaltending proved admirable in the loss, the offensive output will need to improve if the purple and white hope to return home for a third game of the series and avoid the upset. However, with a roster lined with talented veterans, there is little doubt the Mustangs will make the appropriate adjustments to their offensive attack and allow for a more high-scoring affair this Friday.

Game two of the series is set to face-off this Friday, March 1 at 7:00 P.M. EST. Should the Mustangs win, game three of the series will take place in Western's Thompson Arena on Saturday, March 2 at 7:00 P.M. EST and fans can catch all the action live on OUA.tv.