The Guelph Gryphon women's hockey team defeated the Brock Badgers 3-1 in Game two of the best-2-of-3 OUA semifinal series Saturday (Feb. 26) afternoon at the Gryphon Centre. The Gryphons now advance to the best 2-out-of-3 OUA Championship final series against the Queens Gaels.   

 

Brock opened the scoring as Jessica Fickel found Kristen Dewsbury in the slot who beat Guelph's goalie Danielle Skoufranis (Thornhill, Ont.) at 12:57 in the game.  A trio of penalties took place towards the end of the period but neither team was able to capitalize.

 

Despite the score, the Gryphons would control majority of the play outshooting Brock 9-5 in the first period, but Brock goalie Beth Clause came up with several key saves. The period would end with the Badgers leading 1-0. 

 

In the second, Guelph took their game to another level and scored the tying goal only 1:21 into the period.  Guelph's Jessica Zerafa (Mississauga, Ont.) put a lead pass ahead to rookie Kaitlyn Mora (Guelph, Ont.) who skated around the defence from the blueline beating Clause in the top right corner for the tying goal. 

 

The rest of the second period ended with great action and attempts from both teams but both goalies stood on their head. Shots on goal by the end of the second period were in Guelph's favour 15-13.

 

In the third period the Gryphons scored the go-ahead goal just two minutes in.  After the puck bounced off the glass in front of the Brock net, Tori Woods (Orangeville, Ont.) chipped the rebound over the top corner of Clause, putting the Gryphons ahead 2-1.  Assists went to Dayna Kanis (Georgetown, Ont.) and Jenna Lanzarotta (Mississuag, Ont.).

 

The Gryphons would score once again in the third at the 15-minute mark to go up 3-1. Tori Woods scored her second of the game with assists once again coming from Kanis and Lanzarotta.  By the end of the game Guelph outshot Brock 29-18.

 

Both teams were scoreless on the powerplay as Guelph went 0-for-5 and Brock 0-for-3.  Skoufranis turned aside 17 of 18 Brock shots for the victory while Clause recorded 26 saves in the loss.

 

The Gryphons will now face the Queen's Gaels in the OUA Finals, a best-2-of-3 series.  Guelph finished the regular season ahead of the Gaels and will take the home-ice advantage.  Stay tuned to www.gryphons.ca for up-to-date schedule information.

 

Notes: A new OUA champion will be crowned in women's hockey this year after Queens defeated Laurier in semifinal action.  The Laurier Golden Hawks have won the OUA finals the last seven seasons (since 2003-2004). Queens defeated Laurier in two overtime games by scores of 2-1 and 2-1.  The Gryphons have been OUA runner-ups to the Hawks the last two consecutive seasons.  Tori Woods and Jenna Lanzarotta are tied atop the OUA scoring leaders in the post season with 4 points apiece.  Woods has notched four goals while Lanzarotta has tallied four assists.