GUELPH, ON - There was a time when you could circle RMC on your calendar as a favourable matchup in which two points was a likely outcome. Those days are gone. One night after beating the Western Mustangs in London, the Royal Military College of Canada Paladins rolled into the Gryphon Centre and gave the Gryphons all they could handle. Despite a late charge from RMC, who have already upset Carleton, Toronto and Western this season, the Gryphons were able to hold on for a 4-3 victory. With the win, the Gryphons improve to 5-5-0 on the season while RMC falls to 3-7-0.

The Gryphons, who like RMC were playing for the second time in as many nights, got off to a tremendous start Saturday evening, jumping out to a 3-0 1st period lead. Midway through the 1st, it was Assistant Captain Seth Swenson opening the scoring after a nice give-and-go with Rob Lepine. Swenson was able to fire home his 4th goal of the season to give Guelph a 1-0 lead.
 

The Gryphons would extend their lead to 2-0 after some nice passing between the Stevens brothers, with Marc setting up Michael for his third of the campaign. With just over three minutes remaining in the 1st period, Tryg Strand would bury his 2nd of the season to cap off a dominant opening 20 minutes of play in which the Gryphons outshot RMC 21-1.

Thanks to some big saves from Gryphons goalie Scott Stajcer, the second period was scoreless. RMC was able to creat several good scoring chances in the 2nd and were even awarded a penalty shot midway through the period, but were unable to convert. 

One minute into the 3rd period, RMC would get on the board as a bouncing puck took a deflection in front and found its way past Stajcer. Just over two minutes later, RMC would strike again with a power play goal from Mathieu Lavallee. Just like that, it was a 3-2 game with almost the entire 3rd period still to go. At the midway point of the 3rd, the Gryphons were able to breathe a bit easier after an insurance goal from rookie Nick Boyer pushed the lead back to two. A perfect pass from Andres Kopstals sent Boyer in all alone, and he would beat RMC goalie Matthew Murphy with a quick release, blocker side for his second goal of the season. The Gryphons weren't breathing easier for long.
 

INSTANT VIDEO HIGHLIGHT: Perfect outlet pass from Kopstals who finds Boyer who wires home a very important goal! pic.twitter.com/R9sRiC0yHL

— Guelph Gryphons (@guelph_gryphons) November 6, 2016

Just over a minute after Boyer had scored, RMC would respond once again, scoring on a 2-on-1 to make it a 4-3 game. The Paladins looked poised to tie the game at 4-4, but some key stops from Scott Stajcer during a Gryphon penalty kill helped preserve the one-goal lead. Stajcer made 25 saves on the night, 13 of which came in the final period, to help the Gryphons hang on to win it 4-3.

Boyer's goal proved to be the game-winner, marking the second night in a row that he came up with the game-winning goal for the Gryphs after also doing so in Friday night's 5-4 win over Carleton.

The Gryphons next four games come on the road, beginning Friday night (Nov. 11) in Kingston against the Gaels.