ST. CATHARINES, ON – For players on both sides, Saturday's game must have felt a bit like a carbon copy of their first meeting of the season back in October. For the Gryphons, that means a well-earned, happy ending to an exhausting double overtime affair. For Brock, it means once again falling just short of pulling off a big upset. Saturday afternoon in St. Catharines, Guelph forward Claire Merrick scored the game-winning goal during the second overtime period at Seymour Hoffman Arena to lift the Gryphons to a 2-1 road win over the Badgers. It marked the second time in as many meetings this season that the two teams went to overtime tied at 1-1. Both times the Gryphons were able to score the winner in the second overtime period.
 
The No. 2-ranked Gryphons officially welcomed back some familiar faces on Saturday with head coach Rachel Flanagan, goalie Valerie Lamenta, forward Kelly Gribbons and defenceman Katherine Bailey all back after having missed the team's previous two games while helping Canada earn a silver medal at the 28th Winter Universiade. Although Gribbons and Bailey were kept off the score sheet, Lamenta, the reigning player of the year in the country, was in fine form in her return to the Gryphons crease, turning away 39 of the 40 shots sent her way. Brock's lone goal of the day came on a power play opportunity in the 2nd period, but the Gryphs would tie things up at 1-1 early on in the 3rd period thanks to third year winger Sophie Contant's 5th goal of the season. Despite some great scoring chances in the first overtime period, the Gryphons and Badgers would once again need a second OT period (3-on-3 for four minutes) to solve things.
 
When these two teams met back on October 19, it was second year centre Karli Shell who scored the double OT winner. This time around, Shell would once again factor into the winning goal, this time by setting up a teammate with a beautiful feed on a 2-on-1. Shell would send a pass over to fellow second year forward Claire Merrick who would pot her 5th goal of the season to give the Gryphons the 2-1 win.
 
The victory pushed the Gryphons overall win streak to 10, the longest active win streak in the OUA and the second longest in the country (next only to the Alberta Pandas who are currently riding an 11-game win streak). The Gryphs remain in first-place in the OUA standings with a record of 18-2-1, while Brock falls to 11-9-2 on the season. The Gryphons will be right back in action on Sunday afternoon when they make a trip to Waterloo to face the Warriors (12-7-2). Puck drop is set for 2:30pm in what is the U SPORTS Game of the Week.