LONDON, ONT. -- In playoff hockey, players have been known to go through extreme pain to help their team, and Western University's Kolten Olynek did just that in their decisive game against Ryerson University on Sunday.
"He took a shot off the hand in the second period, and after every shift we were icing it on the bench," says Western Mustangs Head Coach Clarke Singer.
Olynek would see his minutes reduced over the final two periods, but when getting a chance in overtime, the forward scored the series-clinching goal against the Rams.
"Guys are playing with injuries, and Kolten could have had a broken hand," said Mustangs defenceman Stephen Desrocher. "I saw it after the game and it was swollen. To be able to suck it up and go out there, it was huge."
Olynek says he is just one of many who are battling through pain.
"Everyone was playing with injuries right now," says Olynek, from Saskatoon. "I took a shot in the hand, and battled through. It's something you have to do in playoff time."
The win helped Western make OUA hockey history. They are the first team ever to knock off both the number one and two seeds in the same post-season.
Now they face the third-ranked Guelph Gryphons, a team who eliminated Western in last year's West Division final.
"We were so close last year, just one game away," says Desrocher. "Now we have a lot of motivation, and fuel. We have a lot of the same team from last year, and we want to change the ending, that's our playoff slogan."
Singer has been poring over game film of his next opponent. He says Guelph has been playing the best hockey of any team in the conference in the second half of the season.
He calls the Gryphons a mix of Ryerson and Toronto with the most depth in the entire league. If his boys can manage two more wins, they'll be back at the University Cup for the first time since 2016.
"It's a standard, and the thing we strive for every year," says Singer. "Early in my tenure the path to nationals was easier, and we had a lot of success getting there. Even to play in another Queen's Cup would be incredible. I think I've been a part of eight of them, and these guys dream about playing for a trophy and a ring."
Singer adds this next series will be tough, and they'll have to be at their best to win another round where they are starting on the road.
Olynek says he hasn't been in a national championship since he was 15 years old, and nine years later would love to have another opportunity.
"We come in Labour Day long weekend when it's 30 degrees Celsius," says Olynek. "We come for training camp in October to try to get to the national championship, so that's what we are going to try to go out there and do."
The series begins on the Olympic-size ice surface at Gryphon Centre Arena on Thursday. The Mustangs only home game will be Saturday night at Thompson Arena.
