Box Score
Men's Hockey Playoffs 2013 Gallery

GUELPH, Ont. - The Guelph Gryphon men's hockey team eliminated the Laurier Golden Hawks tonight (Feb. 17) in the first round of the OUA playoffs with an 3-2 overtime win at the Gryphon Centre.
 
Gryphon forward Justin Gvora (Thunder Bay, Ont.) scored the game winning goal at 5:50 into overtime.

The now advance to the best-of-three OUA West semi-final. The Gryphons will face the third seeded Windsor Lancers in the next round of playoffs. The Lancers will have the home-ice advantage. The Lancers will host game one of the series on Thursday (Feb. 21) at 7:30pm. The Gryphons will host the second game on Saturday (Feb. 23) at 7:30pm at the Gryphon Centre. If the third game is needed the series will return to Windsor on Sunday (Feb. 24) for a 7:30pm start. 
 
Guelph defeated Laurier 2-1 in the best-of-three series. The Gryphons dropped game one 4-3 in double overtime but recovered last night with a 3-2 win to force the third and deciding game tonight.
 
Andrew Loverock (Elmvale, Ont.) picked up the win in the Gryphon net, making 22 saves on 24 shots including turning away a number of strong chances while on the penalty kills. Ryan  Daniels (Pickering, Ont.) had a standout performance as well stopping 38 of 41 shots sent his way. Gryphon goal scorers on the night were James Merrett, Andy Bathgate and Justin Gvora.
 
The opening of the first half looked as if it could be anyone's game, but half-way in, the Gryphons stepped up and took over. It was a hard-hitting, physical first period, which would set the tone for the remainder of the game. The score remained tied at zero after the first 20 minutes with shots on goal 12-9 in favour of the Gryphons.
 
In the second period the Gryphons were able to capitalize on an early power play at 1:45, James Merrett (Vernon, Ont.) was able to score on a rebound from the far corner of the net. Assists were granted to Kenneth Peroff(Chisholm, Ont.) and Nicklas Huard (North Bay, Ont.). Shortly after, at 4:07, Andrew Bathgate (Georgetown, Ont.) scored another rebound goal for the Gryphons, off of a beautiful shot from Merrett and a tip by Jon-Thomas MacDonald (Niagara Falls, Ont.).
 
Laurier answered, making the score 2-1, at 8:12 after a large scrum at the Gryphon crease. The goal was scored by Mitchell Good (Wellesley, Ont.) with assist granted to James Marsden (Exeter, Ont.). The excitement carried on with multiple small scrums, and a fight resulting in a 10-minute misconduct awarded to each team. Players from both squads battled hard for the remainder of the period. Shots in the second period were 15-7 in favour of the Gryphons.
 
The third period was gritty and fast-paced, and remained scoreless until 17.6 seconds were left and Laurier, with six skaters and an empty net, scored to tie the game at two and force overtime. The goal was scored by Rylan Lopes (Bramption, Ont.) and assisted by Greg Cerilli (Calgary, AB).
 
In overtime, it was the Gryphons who would strike first as Justin Gvora netted the game winner at 5:50 with assists going to Bathgate and Matthew Lyall (Richmond Hill, Ont.).
 
The now advance to the best-of-three OUA West semi-final. The Gryphons will face the third seeded Windsor Lancers in the next round of playoffs. The Lancers will have the home-ice advantage. The Lancers will host game one of the series on Thursday (Feb. 21) at 7:30pm. The Gryphons will host the second game on Saturday (Feb. 23) at 7:30pm at the Gryphon Centre. If the third game is needed the series will return to Windsor on Sunday (Feb. 24) for a 7:30pm start.