Box Score LONDON, Ont.- The Windsor Lancers men's hockey team surrendered two third period goals, and were defeated 3-2 by the CIS No. 8 ranked Western Mustangs in Game 1 of the OUA quarter-finals on Thursday evening.

The Lancers will look to even the series on Saturday night at South Windsor Arena where the teams will do battle in Game 2 at 7:30 p.m.

After disposing of the Toronto Varsity Blues in two quick games in their first-round playoff series, the Lancers carried their momentum into the first half of their series opener with the Mustangs, going up 2-0 on the OUA West division regular season winners.

Matt Beaudoin drew first blood for the visitors just 1:46 into the first period, tallying his second of the playoffs to put Windsor up by one. Eric Noel and Derek Lanoue drew assists on the sophomore's third point of the post-season. After neither squad found the goal through the rest of the first 20 minutes, Windsor would double its lead with another early period marker in the middle frame. Mac McDonnell notched his first of the post-season 1:20 into the second stanza with Kenny Bradford and Lancers captain Drew Palmer picking up helpers on the play.

The Mustangs cut the lead in half later on in the period, as Adam Stoykewych found the back of the net past Parker Van Buskirk at 16:11 of the second. The teams went into the locker rooms with Windsor holding a one-goal lead after 40 minutes of play.

Neither squad took a penalty until late in the second period, but both had players in the respective boxes at the beginning of the third. With Western coming out of a brief power-play, Matt Clarke continued his playoff hot streak, using a skillful deke to slide the puck past Van Buskirk for his fourth of the post-season to even the game at the 1:22 mark of the third.

Van Buskirk then put together a string of impressive saves to keep the contest tied at 2-2. The Windsor native made a great pad save off a rebound in front and followed that with another low save on a break-away at the midway point of the period. Van Buskirk stopped a total of 35 shots on the evening.

The Lancers were then called upon to kill off a late penalty and did so succesfully. However, soon after Mustangs forward Adam McKee found a lane between the Windsor defence on a neutral zone pass, and broke in alone, making no mistake on a high shot that eluded the blocking arm of the Van Buskirk to give the home team its first lead with 1:27 left in regulation.

The Lancers earned a late power-play and were able to get a dangerous point shot away with a 6-on-4 advantage. However, the puck squeaked just wide of the Mustangs goal, allowing Western to escape with the win and a 1-0 series lead.

The OUA quarter-final series shifts to South Windsor Arena on Saturday evening. Puck-drop is set for 7:30 p.m. and the contest will be available live online at GoLancers.TV.