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Warriors spoil Gryphons win streak
GUELPH, Ont. - The Guelph Gryphons were hoping to continue their
success Thursday night against the Waterloo Warriors, but after
struggling to hold on to two two-goal leads, the Gryphons found
themselves on the wrong end of a 5-4 shootout victory at the
Gryphon Centre.
The loss leaves the Gryphons at 8-9-3, while the Warriors improve
to 13-6-1 with the win.
Alex Magera (Edmonton) and Tim
Priamo (Guelph, Ont.) recorded a goal and an assist each
for Guelph, while Zach Lillie (Bracebridge, Ont.)
and Jake Lalonde (Sudbury, Ont.) picked up the
other Gryphon goals. Scott Van Bommel (Norwich,
Ont.) started for the Gryphons making 18 saves on 22 shots.
Aggressive play was the theme for the first period, with both teams
getting their share of bone-jarring hits. Unfortunately for the
Warriors, it was aggressive play that gave the Gryphons their first
power play of the night and resulted in the first goal of the
game. Magera, streaking in on the right side of Warrior
netminder Keaton Hartigan, snapped a shot that
blew over his shoulder and found the back of the net.
The power play goal would be the only score in the period, leaving
Guelph on top 1-0 going into the first intermission.
Both teams came out strong again in the second with more major
collisions keeping the intensity at a hundred percent. Waterloo
would benefit from the momentum first though, as Kyle
Sonnenburg scored a power play goal at 7:46 to tie up the
game at one.
It became a back and forth affair following the Waterloo goal,
seeing a number of chances for both squads and with five minutes
left in the period players started to get a little chippy,
ultimately resulting in a brawl in the Guelph end.
When the dust had settled, a total of 60 penalty minutes had been
distributed amongst four Waterloo Warriors and two Guelph
Gryphons.
As a result, the Gryphons netted back-to-back power play goals.
Tim Priamo picked up the first on a blistering
shot from the face-off circle, while Zach Lillie
redirected a Derek Douglas (Kitchener, Ont.) centering pass to put
the Gryphons up 3-1.
Waterloo would put away another goal early in the third period
courtesy of Chris Ray to shorten the margin of
difference to one, right after a Guelph penalty had expired.
About a minute later Mike Kusy (St. Catherines,
Ont.) fought his way into the Warrior zone keeping the puck on the
end of his stick. Moving in quickly on the Waterloo net, Kusy
chipped the puck across to Jake Lalonde, who
snapped the puck home, giving the Gryphons some more insurance.
The Waterloo offence was ignited in the third though as they put
two more pucks past Van Bommel in the final frame. Kyle
Pellerin and Kurt Thorner of the Warriors
would score within eight seconds of each other, catching the
Gryphons off guard and knotting the game at four to end regulation
play.
Overtime, was controlled by Guelph in the first half while they had
the man-advantage, but none of their efforts around the net would
finish the game. Guelph would get another chance on the power
play with forty seconds left in the game, but once again the
Gryphons were unable to beat Hartigan. The teams would make their
way to their benches after overtime to get ready for the deciding
shootout.
Magera would go in first for Guelph, weaving all over the ice,
which seemed to throw off Hartigan, as Magera would move the puck
to his backhand and lift it up and in to the back of the net.
Kris Belan (Florence, Ont.) would shoot second for
the Gryphons after Waterloo's Ray had scored with their second
shooter. As Belan worked his way to the net, he snapped a shot on
net, trying to use the element of surprise. The quick shot worked,
fooling Hartigan, but the post was unwavering and the puck rung off
the inside of the iron and stayed out.
After Waterloo's Aaron Lewicki put another past
Van Bommel, it was up to defensemen Tim Priamo to
even things up. Priamo's attempt would miss wide and the Warriors
would pick up the shootout victory.
The Gryphons are headed to UOIT on Saturday to try and get back on
a win streak. After two road games, the Gryphons will be back in
Guelph on a five-game homestretch.
Source: Guelph Gryphons
