London, ON - The Mustangs begin their 2022-23 season with a 6-5 overtime loss to the Guelph Gryphons in an exciting home opener at Thompson Arena Friday night.
The Mustangs got off to a good start against the Gryphons with lots of momentum early on. Nine minutes into the first period, Eric Van Impe (28) put Western on the board first, banging in a rebound courtesy of Riley Macrae (19).
Just over halfway through the first period at 11:04, Western's Anthony Allepot (3) was called for interference. Western was able to kill off the penalty, and just 53 sec after the kill, defenseman Jack York (10) jumped into the play and scored a nice goal off a cross-ice pass from Franco Sproviero (26).
At 15:39, Guelph was able to get onto the board with Zachary Poirier (77) scoring off of his own rebound, sliding the puck it into the far corner, making it 2-1.
The second frame saw lots of exciting play back and forth. Just 1:58 into the second, Western's Anthony Allepot (3) was able to tap in a loose puck off a shot from Andrew Bruder (43), also assisted by Brett Jacklin. This goal put the Mustangs up 3-1 and caused the Gryphons to change goalies less than 2 minutes into the period.
Not long after, only 2:40 into the second, Western took a penalty. Guelph took advantage of the man advantage with Anthony Tabak (16) scoring to make it 3-2 Mustangs. Guelph's Penman notched another goal for the Gryphons at 7:04 in the second to tie the game 3-3.
The second period action continued, with Sean Montgomery scoring a highlight reel goal at 12:27. Montgomery was left alone out front and got a pass from Boushy behind the net to make it 4-3 Mustangs.
Guelph's Giordano Biondi took a roughing penalty with 36 seconds left, giving Western a powerplay to start off the third.
Guelph was the first to get on the board in the third with Poirier getting his second of the night off a tap in to tie the game just 3 minutes into the third.
Western's Andrew Bruder took a high-sticking penalty at 10:38 to put the Mustangs on the penalty kill. Guelph defenseman Tristan De Jong was able to capitalize to take a 5-4 lead with 7 and a half minutes left. Guelph went 2 for 4 on the powerplay tonight.
The tables turned when Guelph took a roughing penalty giving Western an extra man at 12:55 in the third. Western defenseman Jack Tucker was able to snap it five hole just 9 seconds into the powerplay to tie the game 5-5.
Guelph defenseman Jaxon Camp got a 5 minute major for an open ice hit with 3 minutes left. Mustang's had a few close chances at the end but couldn't finish it in regulation. The game had to go to overtime.
Mustang's started overtime on the powerplay, controlling the play and generating some good chances but couldn't finish. At 3:18, Gryphon's Nolan DeGurse's backhander found the short-side top corner and ended the game, handing the Mustang a 6-5 loss.
First year Defenseman and goalscorer, Eric Van Impe, noted "It was a fast game. We did a lot of the things to like. We just have to keep building off of that."
Head Coach Clarke Singer noted "We had lots of opportunities tonight, we just ended on the wrong side of it. It was a good hockey game both ways, and both teams had a ton of effort. I thought the effort was really good."
Western hits the ice again tomorrow night for their first game on the road facing Brock. Puck-drop is at 7pm and can be watched on OUA.tv.
