The University of Windsor Lancers men's hockey team concluded their 2025-26 season with a fourth-place finish at the U SPORTS U Cup Championship in Halifax, N.S., falling 5-1 to the UNB REDS in the bronze medal game.

This marked the first bronze medal game played in Lancer program history. They earned third place in 2013-14 following a 1-1 (W-L) record in the round robin and were awarded third based on standings. This fourth-place finish is the second highest in program history. Thursday's quarterfinal win against Mount Royal was Windsor's first U SPORTS win since 2013-14.

The REDS came out of the gate ready to play this 9 a.m. local time game, despite having played in the semifinal the night prior. Stuart Rolofs scored the first two goals of the game in the first five minutes, followed by Jax Dubois later in the period to give the REDS a 3-0 lead after the first 20 minutes.

Logan Linklater made it a 3-1 game just 31 seconds into the second frame, scoring on the rebound of a Dylan Schives point shot on the power play. Braeden MacPhee restored UNB's three-goal lead late in the period.

MacPhee added a fifth goal late in the third period to seal the game and win the national bronze medal. While the Lancers did not medal, their fourth-place finish is a top-two finishing in program history, and with only five graduating players they will expect to have success in the near future.

"This week has been a phenomenal experience for our group," said Lancer men's hockey head coach Kevin Hamlin.

"Last year on record we were the youngest team in the country, and if not for the leadership of the people we have in the room we wouldn't be sitting here right now."

Hamlin says he "couldn't be more proud of our team. I know with so many guys coming back we'll give ourselves another chance at being one of the eight teams in this tournament."

"Couldn't be more proud of our group," said Lancer captain Matt McNamara in the post-game press conference.

"We fought hard and did the best we could […] left it all out on the ice and that's all you can ask for."

The Lancers went 18-7-3 (W-L-OT) in the regular season to win the OUA West division, then went 4-1 in the OUA playoffs, finishing as Queen's Cup finalists and OUA silver medalists. The blue and gold went 1-2 at U SPORTS for fourth place in the country, earning their second-best finish in program history.