Perhaps you were somewhat surprised to learn of the Windsor Lancers’ 2-1 shootout victory over the Western Mustangs in Thursday’s OUA men’s hockey game at Windsor Arena, but Clarke Singer wasn’t the least bit shocked by the outcome.

“They’re a lot better hockey club than their record shows,” said Singer, coach of the Mustangs (18-2-3), the fourth-ranked team in the CIS.

The victory gave Windsor (10-12-1) the season series over Western, also by a 2-1 count.

“To beat Western two out of three is certainly a first in recent history for the Lancers,” said Windsor coach Kevin Hamlin, whose team continues its pursuit of a playoff spot today, travelling to Waterloo for an afternoon game with the Laurier Golden Hawks.

The result also offers tangible evidence that the gap on the ice between the Mustangs and Lancers is shrinking.

There’s a rich history of success in the Western hockey program, with two OUA titles since 2004-05. Windsor’s last – and only – OUA crown was earned in 1997-98.

“We’ve got a lot of respect for them,” said fourth-year coach Hamlin, feeling that respect for what Windsor puts on the ice is steadily increasing.

“I think the reputation of our program has really turned the corner. We’re at a point now where we think we can take the next step.”

Five of Windsor’s losses this season have come by one-goal margins.

The team that beat Western Thursday suited up 11 freshmen.

“It’s a nice feeling to know that this program is in great hands for a while,” Hamlin said.

Many of the hands on deck for the first-place Mustangs hold ties to this area, evidence of how difficult it’s been in past years for the Lancers when recruiting against Western.

Keaton Turkiewicz, Western’s leading scorer, played for the Windsor Spitfires, as did goalie Josh Unice, the reigning CIS male athlete of the week.

“It’s just everything,” Turkiewicz said of his decision to attend Western. “Clarke Singer does an amazing job.”

Defencemen Matt Paltridge and Paul Bezzo, as well as forwards Jeff Brown and Aaron Snow, are other former Spits who now wear Mustangs purple.

Western captain Adam Nemeth is from Amherstburg and he pondered Windsor before choosing to ride with the Mustangs.

“It was definitely a possibility,” Nemeth said.

Ultimately, Western’s winning ways won the day.

“It’s a winning tradition at Western, and I wanted to be part of that,” Nemeth said.

Windsor captain Matt McCready of Kingsville won a Memorial Cup with the London Knights in 2004-05.

While quite familiar with Western’s reputation, he opted to stage a homecoming when it came time to choose a school.

“It was a good fit here,” McCready said.

“I lived away from home, two years in London and two years in Toronto, so it was nice to get back home, be closer to family and friends, and save a little gas for dad driving back and forth on the 401.”

Hamlin’s roster includes four ex-Spitfires and five local players with OHL ties, and he thinks those numbers will continue to grow alongside Windsor’s reputation.

“I think we’ve come a long way,” Hamlin said. “I think this particular group has a lot of character.

“There’s a sense of gratitude with this group that is rare in athletics today. They don’t assume anything. They’re not here to get anything. They’re here to contribute as much as they receive, and that’s pretty refreshing.”

As refreshing as a pair of wins over Western are for a Windsor program that believes it’s on the way up.