The Windsor Lancers men's hockey team welcomed the visiting Toronto Varsity Blues to town on Saturday night in front of a great home crowd on hand for Breast Cancer Awareness Day, Senior's Night and their regular season finale at the Capri Pizzeria Recreational Complex.
 
The Lancers managed to hang on to defeat the Blues 3-2 to close out their 2019-20 regular season. With the win the Lancers improve to 15-13 on the season and will now await to hear the official confirmation on their upcoming playoff opponent who they shall face next. 
 
GAME STATS
The Lancers received goals on the scoresheet from Chays Ruddy, Anthony Salinitri, and Connor Matton. Goalie Jonathan Reinhart made 26 saves on 28 shots faced. 
 
The Blues got their goals from Scott Kirton and Kevin Lavoie while their goaltender Frederic Foulem turned away 21 Lancers shots on 24 shot attempts faced. 
 
GAME FLOW
In the first period, the Lancers got on the board early when Ruddy put in his first of the season to give the blue and gold a 1-0 lead on the Blues. Reinhart turned aside all 9 shots faced from Toronto in the period while the shots were 9-9 at the end of the period. 
 
In the second period, the Lancers managed to find the back of the net again as this time Salinitri would score his tenth goal of the season for the blue and gold to extend their lead to 2-0 at the 5:58 mark in the period. After some time had passed, Toronto decided to respond as Kirton scored a shorthanded goal to chop the Lancer lead in half and make the game 2-1 at the 11:52 mark in the period.  Shortly after the Blues would tie up the game on a goal from Lavoie who knotted things up on the powerplay at 2-2 at the 17:55 mark. Toronto outshot Windsor 10-8 in the period and a game total of 19-17 after 40 minutes of play. 
 
The third period was action packed. A grand total of 86 penalty minutes were assessed in the third period alone especially towards the end of the period where both teams exchanged pleasantries.  As the physicality ramped up in the period it would not come longer after the Lancers managed to break the tie off of Matton's game winning powerplay goal putting in his third of the season at the 6:30 mark in the third frame.  Toronto tried several times to tie up the game, but Reinhart was just too tough to beat, and he managed to steer aside all 9 Toronto shots faced in the period. The Lancers would hang on by the slimmest of margins and would defeat the Blues 3-2 on home ice. 
 
UP NEXT
It was a great regular season finale for the Lancers who now anxiously await confirmation on their playoff opponent as playoffs are slated to begin next weekend.  Stay tuned on www.golancers.ca for more information regarding the team's playoff info.