Lancers drop home finale in back-to-back losses

The Windsor Lancers men’s hockey team has let their second place position slip from their grasp with losses to the Guelph Gryphons and Western Mustangs.

The Lancers took on the Mustangs in their final home game of the season.  As has been the case for much of the season, the Lancers got off to a rough start.

Starting goaltender Parker van Buskirk was pulled early in the second period after falling behind 5-0.  The switch between the pipes seemed to have the desired effect as the Lancers began to take over the pace of the period by pressuring the Mustang defence in their own end.  This approach forced a few turnovers and their aggressiveness paid off as Jadran Beljo and Isak Quakenbush narrowed the lead to three goals.

The Lancers appeared to have pulled within two late in the second period after Derek Lanoue batted the puck out of mid-air and past Western goaltender Josh Unice.  The goal was immediately waved-off after officials deemed it was a high-stick.

“It would have been a huge goal for us,” said Lancers captain Brett Vandehogen. “Three-goal hockey game, two-goal hockey game … it’s a huge difference.”

This proved to be the turning point as the Lancers took a penalty as time expired to end the period.

They never got the momentum back they earned in the second frame and the Mustangs closed the game out, skating to a 7-3 rout.

“Playing Guelph tomorrow night, we have to bounce back,” said Vandehogen. “They’re one point back. If we lose, we get third. It’s a huge game.”

Unfortunately for the Lancers, they were unable to respond in Guelph the following night.

Paul Bezzo was able to get Windsor on the board first and van Buskirk bounced back from the previous night’s debacle, making save-after-save.

Before the second period closed out, the hometown Gryphons were finally able to find the back of the net twice to steal the momentum heading into the final 20 minutes.

Guelph added two goals in the final frame en route to a 4-1 victory.  This win propelled the Gryphons into second place in the West Division, while dropping the Lancers to fourth.

Windsor has two games left in the season, one in Waterloo and the other at Western.

The Mustangs have clinched the top seed.  Guelph, Lakehead and Windsor are all in a battle for second place with two games left each.  Windsor currently trails them by a single point.

Despite coming away with no points on the weekend, the Lancers still have a chance at getting back the number two spot with two important road games to close out the season.