TORONTO, Ont. – The first puck drop of the new year within the 2025-26 OUA men's hockey regular season schedule took place on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 4, 2026) in Toronto, where the Gryphons men's hockey rang in the new year with a road game against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues from Varsity Arena. A high-scoring affair saw Guelph battle back from a three-goal, 3rd period deficit to send the game into overtime, but it would be the host Varsity Blues scoring late in the extra frame to escape with a 7-6 overtime victory over the Gryphons.
With the Gryphons trailing 5-2 heading into the 3rd period, the U of G comeback effort would be spearheaded by a pair of second-year forwards in
Nolan Dann and
Dylan Hudon. After Hudon set up
Dann for a one-timer to trim the deficit to 5-3, the standout sophomores would combine again just :32 seconds later, with Dann this time returning the favour by sliding a pass across the crease to
Hudon for his 6th of the season to get Guelph back within one, trailing 5-4. Dann, the Cambridge, ON native, would
find the back of the net for the second time in the period to erase the three goal deficit and tie the game at 5-5, with his 10th goal of the season coming on the power play. After the University of Toronto forward took a 6-5 lead on a goal from Cooper Way, the Gryphons would respond once again. With the extra attacker on the ice, U of G captain
Nathan Allensen would fire home a point shot with 1:33 remaining in the 3rd period to tie up the game at 6-6. It was deja vu for Allensen, who also scored a 3rd period, game-tying goal at U of T when the two teams met back on November 14, 2025. With the score tied at 6-6, the Gryphons and Varsity Blues would head into overtime, where Varsity Blues second-year forward, Sean Clarke, would score the game-winner with :35 seconds left in overtime to give Toronto the 7-6 win.
Cal Schell was great in relief in the Gryphon net making 11 saves on 13 shots, helping his side earn a point on the road, while
Nolan Dann finished with 4 points on the afternoon (2 goals, 2 assists).
Despite the loss, the Gryphons earn a much valuable point as their record currently sits at 9-5-2 with 20 points. Guelph is currently in 5th-place in the
log-jammed OUA West Division standings, where the Gryphons sit just two points behind the division leaders TMU Bold and Windsor Lancers. The Gryphons are back in action on home ice on Friday night (Jan. 9) when they host the Western Mustangs. Puck drop from the Gryphon Centre Arena is scheduled for 7:30pm with the game broadcast live online at www.oua.tv.
