WATERLOO, Ont. – Class was finally in session for the Golden Hawks on Tuesday afternoon as they took on Western in a rescheduled School Day Game, but it was the Mustangs who came away with the passing grade in a 5-2 win at the Waterloo Memorial Rec Complex.

Laurier headed into the matinee affair in a dead heat for the sixth and final playoff spot in the OUA West. Sitting on 23 points like the Mustangs, York Lions, and Guelph Gryphons, the second game of a four-game homestand to finish the regular season was guaranteed to be as close to a playoff game as could be expected.

It didn't fail to deliver.

Despite having lost back-to-back games, and five of their past six games against the Mustangs, Laurier came into their latest tilt having won their only match-up so far this season. On the flip side, the Mustangs were looking to build on two straight wins – including a shootout victory against the Waterloo Warriors just five days prior.

The visitors capitalized on that positive momentum almost from the get-go as Andrew Bruder scored his fifth of the season just three minutes after the opening puck drop.

With defenceman Jack Tucker parked in front of his bench at the Laurier blueline, he delivered a pinpoint saucer pass down to Bruder just above the red line. A soft touch on a redirect barely beat Laurier goaltender Christian Propp on the short side to put the Mustangs up 1-0.

Despite the Golden Hawks taking three minor penalties – including two by Matt McJannet – they were otherwise unscathed at the end of the frame, down just one.

With the Laurier offensive attack gaining some steam and consistency in the second period, one of their offensive stalwarts finally got them on the board. A turnaround shot attempt by Grayden Gottschalk seven minutes into the period had just enough on it to elude Western netminder Dylan Myskiw and tie the game. Gottschalk's ninth goal of the season temporarily gave him sole possession of the team lead in that category.

The Mustangs restored their lead ten minutes later. After the Golden Hawks lost an offensive zone face-off, Western rushed up-ice led by Jack Tucker. A centring pass to captain Kyle Pettit was backhanded past Propp to make it 2-1 heading into the intermission.

With the ice still wet to begin the third period, Franco Sproviero scored his tenth goal of the season (and team-leading 29th point), appropriately, just ten seconds into the period. 

It would also stand as the eventual game-winner as goals by Kyle Langdon and an empty-netter for his second of the game by Bruder book-ended a Sam Rhodes tally for Laurier (tying him with Gottschalk for the team lead). To their credit, the Golden Hawks posted 42 shots on goal but just couldn't solve the second-year netminder Myskiw in dropping their third straight game.

With both teams set to square off again at the WMRC on Thursday night, Laurier is in must-win territory. They will need to beat the Mustangs as well as the Waterloo Warriors in their final regular season game on Friday – which is fittingly Senior Night – if they hope to play postseason hockey come next week. 

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