After a season that saw both the women’s and the men’s hockey programs compete in their respective CIS Championships, expectations are running high for the upcoming Mustangs’ season.
The women appeared at the national championships for the second time in as many years but were ultimately unable to repeat their 2014-15 title, while the men made their first appearance to the University Cup since their 2012 silver medal finish.
While neither team ended with the banner finish they had hoped for, the upcoming season offers another chance to land the title.
The women’s roster will be missing some big names this season, as two-time All-Canadian Kelly Campbell, three-time All-Canadian defensemen Katelyn Gosling, and dominating forwards Brittany Clapham, Stacey Scott and Kendra Broad have all moved on from the program.
Brianna Iazzolino – who was recently invited to Hockey Canada’s Women’s Development Camp – is expected to take over for Gosling as Western’s top defender. The Nursing student is returning for her final year after recording 10 points last season. She will serve as an assistant captain.
Helping to absorb the losses of Scott and Broad is Lyndsay Kirkham. The Cranbrook, BC native joined the Mustangs for the 2015-16 season from NCAA Division I Lindenwold University after recording 22 goals and 27 assists in 103 games. Since suiting up in purple and white, she’s picked up nine assists and three goals to become the top returning forward.
New head coach Kelly Paton has also brought in eight rookies to help fill out the Western roster, with five forwards, two goalies and one defenceman set to join the ranks.
Fans will get their first look at the team on October 7, when the Mustangs make their regular season return to Thompson Arena. The game will see the Mustangs face off against a growing rival in the Guelph Gryphons. The last two OUA finals have seen a Guelph-Western matchup, with the Mustangs taking the McCaw Cup in 2014-15, and the Gryphons pulling off a win last season.
The men’s team also suffered a few departures, with captain David Corrente, Noah Schwartz, Alex Micallef, Matt Herskovitz, transfer Stephen Sanza, and assistant captains Shaun Furlong and Stephen Gaskin all moving on.
However, a strong core remains to propel the team through the upcoming season. The past year was initially considered by some to be a rebuilding year for the Mustangs, but the Class of 2015 defied expectations and quickly established themselves as some of the league’s toughest competitors.
In their debut season, Spenser Cobbold, Ray Huether, and Andrew Goldberg emerged as three of the team’s five leading point-earners.
Returning alongside them will be Matt Marantz, who led the team in scoring with five goals and 21 assists. Back for his fifth and final year, the Criminology student is expected to continue to play a big role in the team’s success.
With a strong incoming class complimenting the returning athletes, the men’s team should once again compete for the top spot in the always tough OUA West Division. Their quest for the cup officially begins on October 6, when the Mustangs will travel to Guelph to take on the Gryphons. Last year the teams crossed paths five times – twice in the regular season and in a three-game series for the OUA West Final – with Western coming away with a 4-1 record in those games. The Mustangs will then open up their home schedule on October 14 against the Waterloo Warriors.
Full schedules for both the men’s and the women’s teams can be found at: www.westernmustangs.ca.
Submitted by Pam Bialik and photos by Brandon VandeCaveye (WHKY) and Grace Chung (MHKY)
