Guelph, ON -- Home has been good to the Guelph Gryphons men's hockey team this season. And while things looked bleak in the early going, Trevor Morbeck eagerly donned the cape to save the day. The Jackson, Wisonsin native notched a dramatic hat-trick, including the game-winning goal, to lift Guelph to a 6-3 victory in front of a crowd packed with OAC students and alum celebrating the inaugural Aggies Night at Gryphon Centre Arena. 





















Leather Aggies jackets were the obvious fashion choice for the evening and the rink, where the Gryphons have now won eight of nine games in 2016/17, was decorated with massive pennants from OAC classes dating back to the 1930s. 

The supporters would go home happy as Morbeck bagged his third of the night at 10:12 of the final period. Morbeck had been unstoppable all game and when his team needed a boost after allowing the tying goal earlier in the period, the long-haired forward cruised into the U of T zone and roofed a shot past Andrew Hunt for the game winner.

He admitted it had been a while since his last three-goal effort.

"Before I played in the OHL, so over seven, eight years ago, probably," Morbeck said. 




















Head coach Shawn Camp was pleased to see his big forward cash in after enduring some hard luck in the past.

"Trevor was awesome tonight," said Camp. "He's always been a hard worker.

"It's great to see this season that he's getting rewarded with the points that he so badly deserves. He's such a smart player, makes great decisions with the puck and he's a big body. He goes to the net well and he's got an excellent shot."

Josh McFadden, Michael Stevens and Mark Raycroft also scored for Guelph (11-8-0). Goaltender Scott Stajcer stopped 24 of 27 shots.

U of T looked broken after conceding three straight power-play goals in a 10-minute span of the second period to cough up a two-goal lead but the visitors remained hungry. Matt Campagna would tie the game 3-3 with a pretty goal on a partial breakaway at 4:12 of the third period.




















But Morbeck's third would cancel out Campagna's effort. He was also responsible for getting the Gryphons power play going. Trailing 2-0 at the midway point of the game, Morbeck went to work and was able to cut into the Blues' lead at 10:39 with Guelph on the man advantage. The third-year man made his way to the front of the net and cooly slid a backhander in behind Hunt. 

McFadden tied it up at 16:14. The defencemen sent a high shot through traffic that ended up in the top corner of the Toronto net, over Hunt's glove. 

The Blues continued to melt down, taking numerous undisciplined penalties, including a 10-minute misconduct and double minor call on Aidan Wallace, who had opened the scoring in the first minute of the game.

Morbeck kept the pressure on and again set up down low before burying a one-timer with just 35.3 seconds remaining in the period.



















"They took a lot of penalties, which definitely helped us out," said Morbeck. "We tried to make them pay. We've been working on our power play, trying to get it better. When you get three power-play goals in a game, that definitely helps."

Ryan Kirkup scored the other goal for Toronto (2-16-2). Hunt made 36 saves. 

The pro-Aggies crowd was quieted early as the Gryphons went down 1-0 just 41 seconds into the game. U of T manufactured an odd-man rush that finished with Wallace one-timing a blast from the right circle, beating Stajcer high. The hosts started sloppy at both ends, turning the puck over in front of their net, while needing a full 7:30 of the first period to register a shot on Hunt. 

"I think that (the crowd) might have been why we started so slow," said Morbeck. "Everyone was just too excited and trying to do everything. When you just work together as a team instead of individually, it helps. 

"When they start cheering and it's echoing in here, it's definitely a good feeling."




















Guelph picked up the pace in the latter half of the first and produced some good scoring opportunities late, the best coming when Morbeck made a slick move in the high slot before wristing a shot at Hunt.

Morbeck's slick hands were a sign of things to come but before the three-goal outburst by the hosts, Toronto would strike again at the 6:45 mark of the second on a power play. Stajcer made an initial save on a shot from the left circle but the puck bounced around the crease and appeared to go in off of Kirkup's leg. 

The coach credited his leaders for helping the team bounce back from an ugly opening period.

"We had a very sluggish first period," said Camp. "To the guys' credit though, they stayed with the game plan and they worked hard in the second period, clawed our way back in. Our power play was critical tonight for our success and gave us timely goals. We gained momentum off that.

"Once we got the lead, we seemed to feel that it was ours to take."

Stevens made it 5-3 with a beautiful wrist shot and Raycroft added an empty netter late.

The two teams meet again in Toronto this Sunday at 3:00 pm.