In a thrilling Friday night matchup at the Memorial Centre, the Queen's Gaels men's hockey team claimed a 3-2 shootout victory over the Lakehead Thunderwolves. The win, their third straight to open the season, showcased stellar goaltending from Christian Purboo (Arts & Science), who played a pivotal role in keeping the Gaels in the game.

The first period was a rocky start for Queen's, as defensive lapses and poor puck movement allowed Lakehead to jump out to an early 2-0 lead. Liam Whittaker and Nicolas De Grazia both capitalized for the Thunderwolves, taking advantage of Queen's struggles to maintain possession in their own zone. However, Queen's responded late in the period with a goal from Liam Tanner, assisted by Ante Zlomislic, to cut the deficit in half and give the Gaels momentum heading into the first intermission.

The second period saw more disciplined play from Queen's, but the frustrations of poor officiating lingered, as Daniel Michaud (Arts & Science) was called for unsportsmanlike conduct after seeking an explanation for a missed icing call. However, Purboo's brilliance in net, highlighted by a remarkable cross-crease paddle save, kept the Gaels within reach. Queen's finally drew even with a power-play goal from Samuel Marburg, who deflected a point shot from Holden Katzalay (Arts & Science) to tie the game 2-2. Owen Lalonde (Arts & Science) also picked up an assist on the play.

The third period and overtime featured intense, end-to-end action, with both teams creating scoring chances but unable to find the back of the net. Lakehead hit the post twice in overtime, but Purboo stood tall, forcing the game into a shootout.

In the shootout, Purboo continued his stellar night, making crucial saves on Lakehead's first two shooters. After Cameron Tolnai (Business) scored for Queen's, Michaud sealed the win with a goal, as Purboo came up with one last stop to secure the victory.

With the win, the Gaels improved to 3-0-0 and will next face the Toronto Varsity Blues on Saturday night in Toronto.