Toronto, ON. – Kolten Olynek was the overtime hero as the Mustangs won Game 3 of their series with #2 ranked Ryerson and booked their spot in the OUA West Division Finals.
Ryerson would earn the lion's share of the offence early in the game, as they controlled play. While the Rams peppered Mustangs goaltender Luke Peressini with shots, the Mustangs did a good job of making sure these shots came from a place that the Western goaltender could handle.
Midway through the first, Ryerson scored the first goal of the game on a sharp-angled shot that just barely found its way through Peressini. While special teams were the story in game two, neither team was able to find a powerplay goal in the first period of this game.
The first period ended with Ryerson carrying a 1-0 lead into the first intermission and a 15-4 shot advantage. While they skated away with a deficit, the Mustangs did a good job of keeping it to just a one-goal game.
The second period started with Western needing a goal, and they would get one from Kyle Pettit about six minutes into the period on a nice backhand move that beat the Rams goaltender.
Pettit's marker would serve as the only goal of the second period. The Rams once again out shot the Mustangs in the period, but the number that matters is the one on the scoreboard which stayed at a one-goal-a-piece deadlock.
Western's season would come down to a winner takes all third period with both teams tied at one. Ryerson broke the ice with the first goal of the period, taking back the lead with 13 minutes left to play in the game.
The Mustangs nearly tied the game on two separate occasions with about five minutes left but were thwarted both times. Momentum seemed to shift during this time as they desperately tried to tie the game and save their season.
This consistent offensive pressure would finally result in a breakthrough for the Mustangs, as they tied the game up on a goal from Franco Sproviero, his second goal in as many days.
Regulation would end with the score locked at 2-2 and overtime would be needed to decide the series.
Ryerson nearly ended the game in the first minute of the overtime period as they rang a shot off the crossbar to no avail.
Both teams traded chances through the first 7 minutes of the period with neither team being able to break the tie. Shortly after, Olynek created a turnover, took an initial shot and then picked up his own rebound and put it in to end the game and the series.
It's the first time in OUA history that a team has beat the #1 & #2 ranked team in the playoffs.
The win put the Mustangs through to the next round where they will take on the Guelph Gryphons.
