LONDON, Ontario – Sara Forwell was the overtime hero as the Mustangs Women's Hockey team took a 3-2 win over Ottawa on Saturday night.
Western was outshot 37-28 but got 35 saves from Presley Daschuk, including a few dazzling sequences late in the game to secure their third win of the 2026/27 campaign.
"Yeah, it's honestly one of those games, they're giving me more gray hair, but it's exciting. I think the crowd was in it. You could hear it. The vibes were great tonight, and it was nice to come out with a W," said Mustangs Head Coach Brittany Howard. "I think overall it shows the adversity of that group. Kind of an unlucky bounce there for Presley (on the Ottawa goal in the third period), and we were able to bounce right back, had 3 great shifts to finish the period and went in an OT."
GAME RECAP
The Mustangs kept Ottawa off the board in a scoreless first period while navigating multiple penalty situations. Western had the first power-play opportunity at 6:56 after Gaby Gareau was called for boarding, but the advantage ended when Ava Telfer took a tripping penalty at 10:29. Claire Stewart was later assessed a holding penalty at 14:40, giving Ottawa its first power play of the period. Neither side scored in the period, leaving the opening period without a goal.
Western answered an Ottawa goal with two goals in less than three minutes, turning a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead in the second period. After an Ottawa power play ended, Maëlle Laplante scored at 2:13, but Leah Barnard responded for Western at 2:48 off assists from Erica Barnard and Telfer to make it 1-1. Telfer then added a goal of her own at 5:08, with Sadie Allen and Arnica Bulmer assisting, putting the Mustangs in front 2-1. Western outscored Ottawa 2-1 in the period and carried the 2-1 score into the next period.
An early third-period power-play opportunity came after Naomi Morin was called for boarding at :47. Western could not convert, and the period remained scoreless until Ottawa broke through at 16:29 on Regan Garreau's goal from Natasha Dube. Western was held without a goal in the third while Ottawa had the only scoring play of the period. The teams finished the third tied 2-2.
In overtime, both sides traded possession early on. Sara Forwell got robbed on a close play near the Ottawa goal around two minutes into the extra frame. Off the ensuing faceoff, Ottawa got the puck to center ice where Forwell was waiting. She skated the puck into the offensive zone and was stopped on he initial shot and jumped on her own rebound and buried it for the overtime winner.
"Well, I knew that she got my first shot with the glove, I really wanted that second one really badly; I just wanted it from the back of the net."
MUSTANGS KEY STATS
F Sara Forwell
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- 1 game-winning goal
F Ava Telfer
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- 1 goal
- 1 assist
G Presley Daschuk
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- 35 saves
F Leah Barnard
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- 1 goal
NEXT GAME
The Mustangs are on the road next week, starting with a Thursday (Oct. 29) trip to Waterloo to take on the Warriors. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. Fans can stream the action on OUA.tv.
