The Lancers second game of the 2017-18 season was an intense bout of OUA hockey that would leave fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.
 
Down by three goals heading into the third period, the Lancers rallied to score three goals in two and a half minutes to tie the game and force an overtime period. Despite all of their efforts, the Lancers fell to the host Ryerson Rams 4-3 in overtime on Sunday afternoon at the Mattamy Athletic Complex.
 
Windsor is 0-2 to start the year as they head home for their first game at South Windsor Arena this Friday night when they host the Ottawa Gee-Gees.
 
GAME FLOW
Right after the first puck drop, the Rams pressured the Lancers with their notorious style of offensive-intensity. However, the Lancers had prepared adequately for this, as the visiting team reciprocated with a relentless defensive effort that minimized the time that Rams spent in their zone. This effort, however, was just not enough as the Rams were still the first team on the board, with Steven Harland putting the Rams up 1-0 ten minutes into the first period.
 
From here, the Windsor line-up began to throw everything they had offensively at the Rams in an effort to keep the home team trapped in their zone. While their effort was valiant, they would not be able to get on the scoreboard before the first intermission, and the two teams went into their locker rooms with the Rams up 1-0.
 
Coming back onto the ice, the Lancers kept their strategy from the previous period going, and did all they could to pressure the Rams offensively. However, Ryerson's Matt Mistele would provide the Rams second goal of the game six minutes into the period to put the home team up 2-0.
 
As play began for the third period of the game, it appeared as though Ryerson had secured a victory in this match. This fact looked to be further solidified when, in the ninth minute of the period, Ryerson's Lucas Froese put the Rams up 3-0, recording his first goal of the season.
 
However, with eleven minutes still remaining in the period, there was still plenty of hockey left to play, and Windsor was determined to not start off their season with two losses. In the span of two minutes, Windsor's Brennan Feasey and Kody Gagnon provided the Lancers with three goals, with rookie Gagnon providing two of the goals to tie the scoreboard up in the third.
 
After forcing the extra frame the Lancers threw everything they had at the Rams, but Mistele managed to score his second of the game to earn the host team the win.
 
UP NEXT
Windsor heads home to the confines of South Windsor Arena for a pair of games. They open the weekend with a tilt against Ottawa before hosting the Carleton Ravens on Saturday night. Both games are scheduled for 7:30pm and can be seen live at www.oua.tv.
 
Season tickets for Lancer men's hockey are also available for $50 at www.goLancers.ca/tickets.