Box Score London, ON – A flurry of goals late in the second period proved to be the difference maker as the Mustangs topped the visiting Golden Hawks 4-2 at Thompson Arena Wednesday evening.
 
In a make-up of their weather induced postponement last week, the two sides met for the second time in 4 days, with Western looking to avenge their loss.
 
"We talked after the last game, we certainly didn't play the game we knew we could play, we had a couple of good practices this week, and our focus was to go out with a different game plan tonight," said assistant coach Blair Webster.  
 
Western got off on the front foot with some offensive shifts to start the first, but Gabrielle Lehoux would soon find herself in the penalty box, testing the Mustangs penalty kill early on.
 
Down a player, the purple and white managed to hold off the Golden Hawks' powerplay and would soon get a chance with the extra attacker 4 minutes later.
 
Despite their chances, Western could also not capitalize on the powerplay, keeping the game scoreless.
 
Laurier would get on the board first late in the period, which would prove to be the lone goal in the frame, with the visitors edging the Mustangs in shots 11-8.
 
Western's penalty kill would be put to work a minute into the second period, as Sam Wood got assessed 4 minutes for head contact. Despite netminder Kaitlyn Booth losing her stick to end the kill, the purple and white managed to hold on and prevent an increase of the visitors lead.
 
Halfway through the frame with only one shot on goal, Western would get their turn with the advantage for 4 minutes. A Golden Hawks crosscheck only a few seconds in would see the purple and white test their luck at 5-on-3.
 
Despite their chances, none found the back of the net. However, the last quarter of the period would see a spur of offense from Western, and a quick game turnaround.
 
"We regrouped," said Webster on his team's response. "Finally when they started skating and using their speed, that's when it clicked and we scored a couple goals."
 
With just under 4 minutes remaining in the second, Madison Beishuizen stole the puck in the neutral zone and took it in all alone and buried it glove side to even things up for the purple and white in front of an excited home crowd.
 
"We knew we had to get things going," said Alyssa Wouda. "We just believed in each other."

With the momentum turned, Sam Wood would put Western in front a minute later with the backhand.  
 
Not satisfied with just a one goal lead, Wouda put forth a solid effort, eventually batting the puck out of the air to put the Mustangs up 3-1 less than a minute later. The score would stand going into the third.
 
"It's a blur," said Wouda. "Hannah [Irwin] took the puck to the net, it was a great try and the puck was just loose behind the net so I saw it sitting there and tried to do the wrap around, couldn't get it, and then it went up on its edge and I just flicked it up with hopes it would maybe bounce in and ended up getting it out of the air."
 
Western managed to hold onto their lead during the third while the team's exchanged penalties.
 
With an empty net and a Western body in the box, the visitors played with 2 more players on the ice for the last 2 minutes of the game. It wouldn't be a problem for the Mustangs, as only 3 seconds in Brooke DiCicco cleared the zone and Wood slotted it home into the empty net for her second of the game.
 
Laurier would manage to pull one back with less than a minute remaining as Western took yet another penalty, but it wouldn't be enough to spark the comeback as Booth and her team in front held on for the 4-2 win.
 
"Two penalties late in the game when we are up by 3 isn't very good discipline on our part," said Webster. "I think we need to be better moving forward, but at the end of the game it's 4-2 us and 3 big points that we needed."
 
Tonight's effort is one they look to build off of as they head to Waterloo on Friday in preparation of a home-and-home series against the Warriors.
 
"It's just us playing as a team," said Wouda. "We got to keep the momentum going and it's a new game on Friday and we just got to play our best with 100% effort."
 
"Two real big games against Waterloo," added Webster. "Its momentum for us, it builds confidence knowing some of the things we talked about they did, and they executed, and they worked out. We need to do the same thing on Friday and Saturday."
 
Western improves to 4-6 on the season with the win.
 
The Mustangs are back in action on Friday, February 25^th, as they travel to Waterloo to take on the Warriors. Puck-drop is at 7pm, with the action being available to watch on OUA.tv