Box Score The Lancer men's hockey team earned a hard fought 4-3 victory over the Western Mustangs in game one of the Western Conference Finals on Wednesday night at Thompson Arena in London.
 
With the win, the Lancers take a 1-0 lead in the best of three series, with game two slated for Friday night at 7:30pm at Windsor Arena.
 
Christian Steingraber opened the scoring for Windsor with his first marker of the post season at 4:54 of the opening period. Assisted were credited to Drew Palmer and D.J. Turner.
 
Just two minutes later, the Lancers increased their lead as Mike MacIntyre fired the puck past Western goaltender Josh Unice, giving Windsor a 2-0 lead early in the period.
 
The Mustangs didn't back down, scoring their first of the night on Lancer goaltender Parker Van Buskirk a mere 34 seconds later with a goal from Zach Harnden.
 
Windsor held a 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission, despite being outshot 11-8 in the period.
 
Late in the second period, Windsor fired off two quick goals to take a three goal lead heading into the third period.
 
Captain Matt McCready increased the Lancer lead by two on another scrum in front of the net on a Lancer power play at 18:23, shooting the puck between Unice's legs as he was down looking for the loose puck.
 
McCready's goal was quickly followed by Turner's second of the post season at 19:12 to close out the scoring for the period.
 
Western came out blazing in the third with a swift goal from Kevin Baker at 1:14 of the period.
 
Keaton Turkiewicz brought the game within one with 3:22 left on the clock. Van Buskirk appeared to have complete control of the puck before it bounced free and Turkiewicz put it into the back of the net.
 
Any further attempt on a Mustangs comeback was shut down by the Lancer defence and the solid goaltending from Van Buskirk who made 36 saves on the night.
 
The puck is set to drop in game two of the Western Conference Finals on Friday night at 7:30pm at Windsor Arena. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for youth and seniors, and can be purchased at the gate starting one hour prior to the game.