London, ON – The Varsity Blues edged out the Mustangs 2-1 in a hard-fought game.
The Western Mustangs kicked off their first 2025 game faced off against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues on Friday night, where a strong defensive effort and missed power-play opportunities ultimately defined the game.
The first period began with high-intensity action as Mustangs goaltender, Ella Brabrook, made a couple of important saves, stopping three quality shots from the Varsity Blues. The Varsity Blues were playing aggressively, the Mustangs made a few great scoring chances midway through the period but were unable to capitalize.
With 9:24 left in the period, Toronto's #20 Emma Elders received a penalty, giving Western their first power-play opportunity. However, the Varsity Blues' penalty kill held strong, and the Mustangs couldn't get on the scoreboard with three good attempts.
In the final minutes of the period, Toronto managed to break through, scoring the opening goal and taking a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
The second period started with the Varsity Blues getting another penalty, giving Western another power-play opportunity. Alyssa Wouda fired a strong slot shot, but Toronto's goaltender came up with a big save to keep the Mustangs off the scoreboard.
Penalty trouble mounted for the Mustangs as Kate Martin and Gabrielle Lehoux were sent to the box with 13 minutes remaining in the second. With a 5-on-3 man advantage, the Varsity Blues capitalized, extending their lead to 2-0.
The Mustangs worked hard to control the puck but couldn't break through Toronto's defense, the period ended with the Mustangs still trailing.
After two scoreless periods for the Mustangs, Elizabeth Gauthier broke through with Western's first goal of 2025, cutting the Varsity Blues' lead to 2-1. Gauthier's goal, assisted by Kirkpatrick and LaBossiere, provided a much-needed spark for the Mustangs.
With a late push and multiple chances, Western couldn't find the equalizer, and the Varsity Blues held on to claim a narrow 2-1 victory.
"We struggled on the penalty kill. I think in the first half of the season, we were in the 70s range. We swapped it up a little bit in the second half, making sure we had better support down low and were able to pick up bodies and move pucks out. One unit ended up out there for a full two minutes, which isn't ideal, but they did a fantastic job digging deep and getting the job done. That's a good confidence booster for that group in that regard." Head Coach Candice Moxley noted.
Next Game:
The Mustangs take on Waterloo in London at Thompson Arena on Saturday January 11th, at 7pm.
