Box Score
Guelph, ON - Friday afternoon, Scott Simmonds was named an OUA All-Star in Men's Rugby. Friday night, he scored the shootout winner for the Gryphons Men's Hockey team. Not a bad day for the second year Uxbridge native. Friday night at the Canlan Ice Sports Arena on the campus of York University, the Gryphons won 4-3 over the Lions in a shootout. With the win, the Gryphons improve to 5-5-0 on the season while the Lions fall to 6-1-3. Gryphons goalie Scott Stajcer made 43 saves for his first win of the season (in just his second start).

This was always going to be a tough test. Coming into this game, the York Lions were undefeated on home ice and were near the top of the OUA West Division standings with a 6-1-2 record. The Gryphons, who got off to a slow start to the season with just one win in five games, have turned things around of late and went into York with their sights set on a big, divisional road win. Guelph was able to open the scoring on Friday night thanks to a short-handed goal from Rob De Fulviis. Scott Simmonds picked up an assist on the play, and the Gryphons held a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes of play.

In the 2nd period, the Gryphons would extend their lead to 2-0 thanks to a goal from rookie Stephen Hiff, his 2nd of the season, with Sean Robertson and Brett Appio assisting on the play. Before the end of the period, York was able to get on the board with a power play goal from Derek Sheppard as the visiting Gryphons took a 2-1 lead to the final period.

After the Lions were able to tie the game up at 2-2 with a goal just 31 seconds into the final period, the Gryphons would answer back right away. Just 31 seconds after York tied it up, Guelph re-took the lead. Tryg Strand would send a nice cross-crease pass to Robert Lepine who would one-time home his third goal in his last two games giving the Gryphons a 3-2 lead. The back and forth affair would continue however, as York was able to tie the game up at 3-3 meaning overtime would be needed.

Overtime produced plenty of chances but no goals thanks in part to terrific play from both goalies. Scott Stajcer was given the start in between the pipes for the Gryphons, just his second start of the season and first since October 24 at Western, and he was brilliant. After the first 5-minute, 4-on-4 format OT period solved nothing, the Gryphons and Lions went to double OT which has both teams play 3-on-3 hockey. Predictably, the 3-on-3 format produced plenty of end-to-end action and odd-man rushes. After both teams came close, the York Lions would have a chance to win it at the buzzer. In the dying seconds of the 2nd OT period, a Lions player was sent in all alone with a chance to win it but would be denied by Stajcer meaning a winner would be determined in a shootout.

In Round 2 of the shootout, Gryphons rookie Dylan Gilbert would put on a show with a T.J.-Oshie-esque type goal. After almost slowing to a stop in the slot, Gilbert would show off some fancy stick-handling before sliding the puck 5-hole past a helpless Chris Perugini. With the shootout tied at 1-1 in Round 3, the Gryphons would get a game-saving stop from Stajcer who was able to stick out a pad at the last second to deny York's Derek Sheppard what would have been the game-winning goal. Instead, the shootout continued into a 4th round. Cue the rugby player.

Scott Simmonds, who has 5 points in his last 5 games for the Gryphons, was called upon in the 4th round of the shootout and would deliver by sniping a shot high blocker side past Perugini to give the Gryphons a 2-1 lead. That meant that York's Justin Larson had to score to keep things going, but he would be stoned by Stajcer to seal the win for the Gryphs. It was a fitting way to end the night as Stajcer was impressive, turning away 43 of the 46 shots sent his way on the night, including several huge saves in the OT and shootout periods. Eight different players found the score sheet for the Gryphons who have now won four of their last five games.

The Gryphs will look to carry the momentum from this big, divisional road win back home as each of their next three games will be played on home ice at the Gryphon Centre. The Gryphons will be right back in action on Saturday night as they host the Brock Badgers (5-3-3) in what is yet another big OUA West Divisional game. The Badgers sit in 3rd in the OUA West, three points ahead of the 4th place Gryphons. Puck drop is set for 7:30pm and can be seen live online at OUA.tv.