WATERLOO, Ont. - Christian Propp and the Laurier Golden Hawks shut out Western to keep their playoff dreams alive in Thursday night's re-do against the Mustangs.

The Golden Hawks came into the do-or-die game looking for revenge after Tuesday's loss, where the Mustangs jumped ahead of Laurier for sole possession of sixth place. To keep themselves in the playoff race any scenario that was anything less than a regulation win for the Golden Hawks was not an option. 

The first period was intense, as the Golden Hawks put the pressure on the Mustangs early. Laurier almost doubled Western in shots, outshooting the Mustangs 18-10, but after a high-flying 20 minutes, neither team could put a puck past Laurier's Propp or Western's David Myskew. 

Western took two penalties less than four minutes into the second frame, but Laurier could not take advantage of either opportunity. 

Shortly after killing a penalty of their own, the purple and gold opened the scoring. Tyler Davis passed the puck from behind the Western net to a wide-open Matt McJannet, who one-timed the puck past Myskew for his fifth goal of the season. 

Western responded to Laurier's icebreaker with some sustained pressure and had a couple of quality chances on another power-play, but was unable to put the puck past Propp and his post. 

With a minute and a half remaining in the middle period, Caleb Rich stripped the puck off of Western's Jake Gravelle at the redline and walked in to score his fifth of the season on a rip off the rush, extending Laurier's lead to two goals.

The third period was a must-win for the purple and gold, and they took a hooking penalty just over a minute in. The penalty kill stood strong, limiting Western's chances. 

The Mustangs pressed throughout the third; double-shifting their big guns for most of the period to no avail. Neither Western's top scorers (Franco Sproviero, Jake Gravelle and Eric Van Impe) nor Andrew Bruder, who found the back of the net twice Tuesday, could solve Propp.

Laurier's leading scorer, Sam Rhodes, put the final nail in the coffin with an empty net goal to seal a 3-0 victory for the Golden Hawks. 

Laurier's "Golden Goose" Christian Propp put up 36 saves en route to his first shutout of the season. He had every answer for the shots that the Mustangs sent his direction, and if he didn't come up with the save, his iron did.

"When your goalie plays like that, it's going to be pretty tough to lose," said Matt McJannet.  

But when asked about his shutout it didn't seem like a shutout was on his mind, "I was just out there living in the moment and taking it one puck at a time," said Propp. 

When asked about the game, Laurier's interim manager of men's hockey operations and head Coach Kevin Forrest said, "It's a great response [to Tuesday's game] today and it's a good feeling for sure. This was truly do-or-die today and it's the same thing tomorrow." 

Regarding Friday's do-or-die match against Waterloo, Forrest said, "The pressure has always been there, but it's a good kind of pressure. It's not a nervous pressure, it's an excited pressure to take care of our own business and try to get another W and move on."

Laurier Captain James Thomson said, "You think about it, especially coming back for a fifth year, but all we are trying to do is get a win and ride it out as long as we can. That's the plan for tomorrow."

McJannet, a graduating fourth year, had similar things to say, "It does kind of hit you, that every game could be your last, but at the end of the day you just have to go out there and play, it's nothing different. 

Playoff Race

Things remain tight as can be. Laurier sits atop Western and Guelph because they have more regulation wins, but all three share 25 points. A win on Friday over the Waterloo Warriors puts the Golden Hawks in a best-case scenario, but even then they will be scoreboard-watching over the weekend. If the York Lions win their next two games, they can shoot up the standings and overtake the Golden Hawks in a tiebreaker. 

Plus + The Game

Overall just a great game to watch. Every single one of the Golden Hawks brought their best game in this must-win game. 

Plus + Sam Rhodes

With a goal and an assist in Thursday's matchup, Sam Rhodes has 12 points in 10 games since the New Year began. 


Up Next 

The Golden Hawks shift their focus towards the Waterloo Warriors (6-17-2) as they suit up for their final game of the season in the Battle of Waterloo on Friday evening. Puck drop is at 7 o'clock at the Sun Life Financial Arena. 

Tickets are now available online. You can also catch all the action live on OUA.tv and RadioLaurier.com