London, ON – A dramatic ending to the final regular season game of the season sees the Brock Badgers take a 2-1 win over Western on Friday night.
"We try to create our own puck luck but just like most of this season, it just didn't go our way tonight and it's been just unbelievable all year long and it hurts a little more tonight," said Mustangs Head Coach Candice Moxley "I am proud of our players and their effort they put through tonight and that's something we can definitely build on for the future,"
It was a low-scoring affair at Thompson Arena as the Badgers got the lone goal of the 1
st period with under 8 minutes to go and held that 1-0 lead through the 2
nd period.
In the later stages of the 3
rd period, the Mustangs would find the equalizer on a delayed penalty. After Western gained the Brock zone with the extra player on the ice, they would cycle the puck around the offensive zone, Emma Thomas shot the puck toward the net and Emma Suitor picked up the deflection and sent it back to the blue line where Gabrielle Lehoux sent a shot on net and through traffic and into the Badgers goal to even the game a 1-1 with 4:31 remaining.
"I was hoping it (the delayed penalty) would finish that way (with a goal) but I was also hoping we had NCAA rules where they still took the penalty after we scored the goal," said Moxley "Gabby (Lehoux) picked a great spot there, she went low and we had net front presence there and their goalie really didn't have much of a chance on that one.
With less than a minute remaining in regulation, Brock would get the puck in Western's end and send a puck on net when it was re-directed in front of the Mustangs goal and in to take a 2-1 lead with :44 seconds remaining.
Western would pull their goalie and make a last-minute push to even the scoring but couldn't find the equalizer and dropped the 2-1 final to end their season.
Coming into the game the Mustangs needed a win over Brock to clinch a playoff spot, but with the loss to Brock, they were eliminated from postseason contention.
Prior to the game, the Mustangs recognized 11 graduating seniors who are all moving on from their OUA careers after the game. This includes Sarah Irwin, Hannah Irwin, Kaitlyn Booth, Emma Suitor, Brooke DiCicco, Sophie Young, Kyle Bertrand, Jenna MacLean, Selena Dirven, Janneke Watt & Emma Thomas. Each player was presented with flowers and a framed action photo of them with the Mustangs.
"We always talk about leaving the jersey in a better place than when you found it and every single one of those girls did just that," said Moxley "We're going to lose some great leadership in Suits (Emma Suitor) and the twins (Hannah & Sarah Irwin) and goaltending in (Kaitlyn) Booth, she's been phenomenal for us and the list goes on and on across our group of 11, I wish they could come back, I know they need to move on but I still wish they could come back."
The Mustangs would like to thank the fans, supporters, coaches and student athletes for their passion and enthusiasm all season long.
Stay tuned for more news and notes at WesternMustangs.ca
