The Guelph Gryphons hosted the Brock Badgers at the Gryphon Centre tonight (Feb. 17) for the first game of a three-game series in OUA men's hockey, playoff action. With home-ice advantage the Gryphons put up an early three-goal lead in the first period and while the Badgers battled back in the second and third, the Gryphons were able to fend them off for the 3-2 victory.
Ed Gale (Keswick, Ont.) led the offense for the Gryphons, picking up a goal and two assists, while linemates, Thomas Kiriakou (Richmond Hill, Ont.) and Zach Lillie (Bracebridge, Ont.) each contributed two points of their own, Kiriakou with two assists and Lillie potting a goal and chipping in an assist. Kris Belan (Florence, Ont.) snapped home the Gryphons second goal of the night.
Forward Jordan Gignac (Hamilton, Ont.) led the Badgers on the score sheet, netting both of the Brock goals. Matt Abercrombie (Sarnia, Ont.), Kaine Geldart (Kingston, Ont.), Isaac Smeltzer (Estevan, Sask.), and Kevin Christmas (Hamilton, Ont.) each picked up an assist for the Badgers as well.
Once again, Andrew Loverock (Elmvale, Ont.) was solid between the posts for the Gryphons making 14 saves and picking up the win, while his counterpart Kurt Jory (Brandon, Man.) was tested a little more regularly, facing 30 shots and making 27 saves.
The win gives the Gryphons a 1-0 series lead going into Game 2 tomorrow night in St. Catharine's.
The Gryphons came out firing on all cylinders in the first period, tallying three unanswered goals in the frame. Ed Gale would start the scoring for the Gryphons on a patient play in front of Kurt Jory just 4:31 in. Thomas Kiriakou helped to set up the goal, hustling deep into the corner of the Brock zone and pinning the puck against the boards. Gale caught up and joined his teammate, pulling the puck from his feet and breaking for the front of the net. Faking Jory with an initial move to go behind the net, Gale popped back out in front and dragged the puck across the top of the crease until he reached the far post, where he buried the puck behind the Badger netminder.
The Gryphons increased their lead by two as the end of the period drew near, scoring a pair of goals in a span of twenty-two seconds. The first goal came on a quick snap-shot from Kris Belan, who wasted no time putting the puck away after receiving a beautiful feed from Justin Gvora (Thunder Bay, Ont.). Zach Lillie picked up the second of the two, wiring a hard shot past Jory, while getting a little help from Gale, who was screening in front.
The Gryphons would remain on top 3-0 to end the first period.
Things got a little chippy in the second period and while play was relatively even throughout most of the frame, the Badgers would capitalize on a late powerplay opportunity to narrow the Guelph lead. With the puck on the point, Isaac Smeltzer fired a shot just outside the post to the left of Loverock where Jordan Gignac had set a screen. Gignac deflected the waist-high, blistering puck with lightening speed, batting it out of the air and beating Loverock to bring the score within two, with the score reading 3-1 after forty minutes.
In the third period Brock inched even closer to the Gryphons, netting their second of the game at 5:26. A miscommunication deep in the Guelph zone left Gignac one-on-one with Loverock. Holding the puck as long as possible, Gignac drifted across the front of the net, stretching out Loverock so he was vulnerable on the back side and tucked the puck in the gap between Loverock's foot and the post.
With the Badgers now nipping at their heels, the Gryphons turned to the defensive to hold off the rejuvenated Brock squad and were successful, finishing the final thirty seconds circulating the puck in Brock's end to run out the clock for the 3-2 win.
Taking the first game, the Gryphons will now head to St. Catharine's tomorrow night (Feb. 18) for the second game of the series starting at 7:15pm. A win for the Gryphons in St. Catharine's would advance them to the next round, while a loss would result in a third game in Guelph on Sunday (Feb. 20) at 7:30pm.
Written By: Jacob Cassidy
GAME SUMMARY
Brock 2 at Guelph 3 - Status: Final
Thursday, February 17, 2011 - Gryphon Centre Arena
Brock 0 1 1 - 2
Guelph 3 0 0 - 3
1st Period-1, Guelph, Gale 1 (Kiriakou, Lillie), 4:31. 2, Guelph, Belan 1 (Gvora, Gale), 18:08. 3, Guelph, Lillie 1 (Gale, Kiriakou), 18:30. Penalties-Magera Gue (slashing), 12:11; McInerney Gue (high sticking), 15:19.
2nd Period-4, Brock, Gignac 1 (Smeltzer, Christmas), 18:35 (PP). Penalties-Miller Bro (tripping), 6:06; Smeltzer Bro (slashing), 8:02; Jefferies Gue (tripping), 13:04; Pell Bro (high sticking), 13:47; Kiriakou Gue (tripping), 16:36.
3rd Period-5, Brock, Gignac 2 (Geldart, Abercrombie), 5:26. Penalties-Christmas Bro (tripping), 19:26.
Shots on Goal-Brock 4-5-7-16. Guelph 7-13-10-30.
Power Play Opportunities-Brock 1 / 4; Guelph 0 / 4.
Goalies-Brock, Jory 0-1-0 (30 shots-27 saves). Guelph, Loverock 1-0-0 (16 shots-14 saves)
