LONDON, Ont. — The Western Mustangs pushed the OUA's top-ranked team to the final seconds Saturday afternoon but came up just short in a 3-2 loss to the TMU Bold at Thompson Arena. 

"The effort was there. We competed with them for every inch on the ice," Coach Ouellet said. "But we didn't take good care of the puck, especially early. We turned it over too much in the first period and gave up a couple of breakaways, and that hurt us." 

Western opened the game with pace and pressure, firing early shots and testing TMU's defence. That momentum stalled at the 4:32 mark of the first period when the Mustangs took a penalty, and TMU capitalized on the power play to take a 1-0 lead. Less than two minutes later, Western earned a power-play chance of its own, but a turnover led to a shorthanded goal against, putting western down 2-0.

After multiple power-play opportunities later in the period, Western was unable to break through, and the Mustangs headed into the first intermission trailing by two. 

In the second period, Western faced sustained pressure while killing penalties, including a lengthy stretch that featured a 5-on-3 disadvantage and extended time shorthanded. The Mustangs held firm defensively and were finally rewarded at 11:59 of the period, when Christiano Aiello finished a setup from Zach Power to cut the deficit to 2-1. 

That goal shifted the momentum, and Western carried the pressure late into the frame, but another penalty prevented the Mustangs from building further offence before the period ended. 

The Bold regained a two-goal cushion just 1:53 into the third period, striking early to make it 3-1. Western continued to push, earning multiple power-play opportunities throughout the final frame, but the Mustangs couldn't convert. 

With the goalie pulled in the final minutes, Western finally broke through. At 18:24, Zach Power scored with the extra attacker, assisted by Eric Van Impe and Christiano Aiello, cutting the deficit to 3-2. 

The Mustangs pressed in the closing seconds, but time ran out before they could find the equalizer. Western finished the game with two goals on six power plays, while holding TMU to one power-play goal despite facing eight penalties.  

The Mustangs return to Thompson Arena on Wednesday, Feb. 4, for a 7 p.m. matchup against the Brock Badgers.