TORONTO, ON – Thursday night at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto the Gryphons men's hockey team was shutout 5-0 by the Ryerson Rams. With the loss, the Gryphons fall to 13-11-0 on the season while Ryerson improves to 12-12-0.
 
After an emotional, hard-fought victory over the Brock Badgers the previous night in St. Catharines, the Gryphons were right back at it on Thursday night with a trip to Toronto to face Ryerson. For a second straight night, the Gryphons found themselves facing a 2-0 deficit in the first period of play. Unlike Wednesday night's victory over Brock however, the Gryphons would be unable to recover from the slow start this time around.
 
Ryerson forward Mitch Gallant scored a natural hat trick, with two of the goals coming on the power play and the third coming on a penalty shot, as Ryerson held a commanding 4-0 lead after 40 minutes of play. The Rams would tack on one more in the third period to make the final 5-0.
 
After having started 20 of the team's first 23 games of the season, Gryphons second year goalie Andrew D'Agostini was given a scheduled night off.  Scott Stajcer got the nod but was forced to leave the game in the second period after suffering an upper body injury. Keith Hamilton came in in relief.
 
The Gryphons also played this game without the team's leading scorer, Rob De Fulviis, as well as winger Brett Appio who both sat the game out with an injuries. The Gryphons have also been battling a nasty flu bug that has been going around the team. On Thursday night, the latest player to be forced to sit out with the flu was forward Lenny Fabbri.   
 
The Gryphons have four games remaining on their regular season schedule, with all four of those contests coming on home ice at the Gryphon Centre. First up is a rare Tuesday night game on February 2 when the Gryphons play host to the Laurier Golden Hawks (11-11-0).
 
The Gryphons currently sit 3^rd in the OUA West Standings while Laurier sits 7^th. However, there is a bit of a log-jam in the OUA West standings at the moment with the five teams that currently occupy spots 3^rd through 7^th separated by just four points.