The Windsor Lancers men's hockey team faced off against a western conference rival Saturday afternoon, as the Waterloo Warriors came to town down the 401 on a rainy day in Windsor. The Lancers fell to the Warriors 2-1 in a shootout.
 
Despite the rainclouds outside the rink, it appeared that the gloomy weather followed the Lancers into the rink as the Warriors managed to be in control for most of the game. This was not the first time these teams met in 2020 as the Lancers faced the Warriors last weekend in Waterloo so both teams were freshly familiar with one another coming into this contest. However, the black and gold appeared to be the ones who took notes from last week to maintain control, and eventually take down the blue and gold in their barn in front of the first Lancer home crowd of the winter term. 
 
GAME STATS
First-year defenceman Ryan Barbosa scored the only goal in the match for the blue and gold and although it was their only marker it was the most crucial one which tied the game late in the third period with seconds left on the clock in regulation time. 
 
Fellow rookie Mel Melconian and third-year Kody Gagnon tallied the assists with one each on the Barbosa equalizing powerplay goal. Lancer veteran netminder Jonathan Reinhart stopped 33 of 34 shots faced having himself a solid afternoon performance and giving his team a chance to win off of every save he made in this one. 
 
GAME FLOW
In the first period, good scoring chances were generated on both ends of the ice throughout the first half of the period. However, the Warriors would open the scoring when Jack Scanlan's shot beat Reinhart giving Waterloo a 1-0 lead at the 10:16 mark.  The Lancers would look to respond but however strong goaltending from the Warriors goalie Julian Sime kept the door locked for Windsor to get back into this one early on. 
 
The second period played out similar to the start of the first frame where both teams traded shots and opportunities but both goaltenders flashed their leather making save after save. Neither netminder could be solved in the second which ramped up the physicality in the game instead when more pushing and shoving came about after plays that were whistled down primarily after huge saves coming from both goaltenders. 
 
Fast-forward to the third period, where physicality was now in full effect with bodies being thrown on plays and after whistles again as Waterloo looked to kill the clock and hang onto the one-goal lead. The black and gold would continue to hold the slim margin executing on checks and playing more with the puck. However, undisciplined plays towards the end of the period ultimately cost them chances to leave Windsor with three points on the afternoon to add towards the standings as Scanlan took a major penalty for checking-from-behind which cost his team the opportunity to close out in regulation with 5 players on the ice for Waterloo. With Reinhart pulled and a Windsor crowd cheering at the top of their lungs, the 6-on-4 advantage paid off as Barbosa delivered late in the game with 13 seconds left on the clock snapping Sime's shutout and putting in the equalizer at the 19:47 mark to give the Lancers new life and momentum to bring with them into the overtime period. Overtime became necessary following the Lancers late game resurgence in which adrenaline flooded their veins. 
 
In overtime, despite several golden opportunities to complete the resilient comeback victory the Lancers could not solve Sime again in overtime which lead to a shootout being required to decide this one. 
 
In regulation both goaltenders stopped 33 shots and allowed only one in but ultimately the Warriors were the ones who prevailed as Jacob Cascagnette sniped in the winner past Reinhart in the shootout. With no other scorers, the Warriors would head back up the 401 with the win.
 
Despite the loss the Lancers displayed a solid late game effort which showed they were not willing to go down easy to a team that is hungry to stay in the playoff hunt. This was the final regular season meeting between these teams this year.
 
UP NEXT
The Lancers will be back in action next weekend when they take a trip of their own up the 401 to play the Toronto Varsity Blues on Friday January 17th and Saturday Ryerson Rams on January 18th. You can watch both games live as always on OUA.tv.