GUELPH, Ont. – The winning ways continued on Saturday night for the Gryphons men's hockey team with a 6-3 win over the visiting Waterloo Warriors.
J.P. Villeneuve's first career OUA goal would prove to be the game-winner for the Gryphons, who own the longest current win streak in the OUA's West Division with four straight victories.
"We did a good job creating offence and getting pucks to the net," said Gryphons head coach
Shawn Camp. "When we're able to keep things simple, we're effective. We were able to dominate play for some chunks of the game."
Despite the fact that the shots were lopsided, with the Gryphons out-shooting the Warriors 46-25 on the night, the Gryphs found themselves locked in a back-and-forth affair with the Warriors, including a high-scoring opening 20 minutes of play in which the two teams combined for four goals.
After the Warriors jumped out to a 1-0 lead, the Gryphons were able to respond on the power play thanks to a beautiful one-timer from third year blueliner
Zach McFadden. Later in the period, the Gryphons would take a 2-1 lead after
Cody Thompson set up rookie forward
Todd Winder (Uxbridge, ON) who would fire a perfectly placed shot off the crossbar and in for his 5th goal of the season. Winder's five goals move him into a tie with Thompson for the team lead in scoring.
The goals would continue to pour in during an eventful 2nd period. Gryphons' defenceman
Reilly O'Connor was able to take advantage of a Waterloo turnover, picking off an intended Warriors' pass and promptly firing home his 1st of the season to give the Gryphs a 3-2 lead. Moments after Waterloo tied the game at 3-3, the Gryphons would answer right back with Villeneuve's game winner. Off the rush, Villeneuve would show off some great speed, bursting into the Waterloo zone and giving the Gryphons a 4-3 lead thanks to a successful wrap-around attempt.
The 3rd period continued to produce some wide open hockey, with good chances at both ends of the ice. Just past the midway point of the final period, the Warriors would come close to finding the tying goal when a lively bounce off the end boards had Gryphon goalie
Jason Da Silva sprawling to cover an open net, but Waterloo forward Mitchell Smith fired a shot through the crease and wide of the yawning cage.
Da Silva, a former member of the OHL's Peterborough Petes, was solid when called upon, making several timely saves in the 3rd period to earn his fourth straight win.
Gryphons' team captain
Scott Simmonds, who also plays on the Gryphons men's rugby team, suited up for Saturday night's game despite having played in an OUA Championship rugby match in Kingston earlier in the day.
Tryg Strand and
Nick Boyer would both add empty net goals for the Gryphons late to push the final score to 6-3.
The Gryphons will now hit the road for a pair of games next weekend, with a Friday night matchup in London against the Mustangs followed by a Saturday night game in St. Catharines versus Brock.
