LONDON, Ont. - The #3-ranked Laurier Golden Hawks extended their winning streak to ten games with a 2-1 victory over the Western Mustangs on Friday night at the Thompson Recreation and Athletic Centre. The win clinched a postseason berth for Laurier, who remain alone atop the OUA standings with 47 points.
"We gave the team an opportunity to hear that we could clinch during the game, to help them find some extra energy in the tank to try and close it out," said Laurier's manager of women's hockey operations and head coach, Kelly Paton.
"We're happy to know we will be competing in the postseason again and that we are well ahead of where we were last year at this time."
Sarah Howell, the OUA leader in goals-against average (0.55) and save percentage (.974), earned her third consecutive start between the pipes and made 15 saves in the win.
Laurier faced early adversity, surrendering a goal just under five minutes into the opening frame. Haylie Kirkpatrick collected a loose puck in the neutral zone and created a 2-on-1 rush, choosing to shoot and beating Howell glove side to give Western the early lead.
The goal marked the first Laurier had allowed in four games, snapping a stretch of three straight shutouts. Despite pushing for an equalizer, the Golden Hawks headed into the first intermission trailing 1-0.
"During the first intermission, we had a conversation about adversity," Paton said. "If we didn't think we were going to face any barriers in our last few games, then that wouldn't be preparing us for playoff hockey. It was good to experience playing without the lead."
However, the second period would belong to the purple and gold. Halfway through the frame, a strong forecheck forced a turnover behind the Western net, allowing Sydney Brooks to send the puck toward the crease. Emerie Maltby fired it on goal, and captain Hayley Szymanowski buried the rebound to tie the game.
Moments later, Claire Robinson drifted into space in the left circle and quickly snapped a short-side shot that surprised Western goaltender Brooke Vaccari, giving Laurier its first lead of the night.
That goal stood as the game-winner, as the third period remained scoreless. Laurier didn't find themselves with a power play opportunity but was perfect on the penalty kill, shutting down all three Western opportunities, including a key kill late in the third.
"I thought our kill was excellent today," Paton added. "We were able to pressure pretty aggressively up ice, which made it difficult for them to get organized and get over the blue. That was a big piece of our success."
The Golden Hawks look to keep their winning ways going as they return to action Saturday night. They will head down the 401 to face the Windsor Lancers. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m.
