Boxscore

The Warriors were able to solve the Laurier Golden Hawks for the first time this season doubling up on the cross-town rivals 4-2 in their final regular season home game of 2012 on Friday night at the CIF arena.

Thomas Cardiff (London/) netted the game winning goal at the 16:21 minute mark of the third while Justin Larson (Buckhorn/) scored two goals and added an assist to lift Waterloo to their 15^th win of the season.  Waterloo is now 15-8-4 on the season while Laurier dropped to 8-17-2.

Starting goalie Keaton Hartigan (Kitchener/) picked up the win stopping 31 shots while Ryan Daniels (Pickering, Ont.) was given the loss allowing three goals on 26 shots.

The Warriors opened the scoring four minutes into the period as Andy Smith (Rosetown/) netted his eighth of the season on the power play.  Justin Larson (Buckhorn/) was set up in the slot and fired a shot wide that bounced off the back boards out to Smith who was there for the tap in goal. 

Only two minutes later the Warriors extended their lead to two, once again on the power play as Larson received a perfect pass from Smith in the slot and made no mistake on the one-timer slipping it past the low glove side of Daniels.  Schappert picked up his second assist on the goal.

Following a defensive style second period where neither team was able to find the scoresheet, the Golden Hawks would come out flying in the third determined to even the game.

Zach Saloman (Cambridge, Ont.) would get his Hawks back in the game firing a one-timer past Hartigan for his first of the season.  Three minutes later, Laurier tied the game at two as Frank Riddle (St. Catharines, Ont.) let a seeing eye shot go from the point that found its way through traffic and past Hartigan.  The power play goal was the second of the year for Riddle.

After exchanging quality chances it would be the Warriors who would regain their lead as Thomas Cardiff (London/) found the net for the second time this season late in the final period.  Cardiff, who was honoured prior to the game as a graduating senior, made a nice backhand to forehand move to open up Daniels.  Jarred Parent (West Montrose/) and Greg Steffes (Amherstburg/) were credited with the assists on what was the eventual game winner.

Larson secured the victory with his second of the game into the empty net.  Schappert earned his third assist on the goal while Joe Underwood (Canton/) picked up the other helper.

Waterloo has locked up third place overall in the OUA west as Lakehead beat the Brock Badgers this evening meaning the Warriors and Badgers will meet in the first round of the playoffs.

Note: Colin Carwardine (Guelph/), Kealin Wong (Regina/), Thomas Cardiff (London/), Chris Ray (Kelowna/), Jarrett Schnurr (Waterloo/) and Tyler Moir (Calgary/) were honoured as graduating seniors prior to the game.