GUELPH, ON - The regular season has officially come to an end in OUA women's hockey. The Guelph Gryphons certainly look ready to defend their OUA title. Sunday afternoon at the Gryphon Centre, the No. 2-ranked Gryphons defeated the No. 9-ranked Nipissing Lakers 4-1 in what was the regular season finale for both teams. The Gryphons, who had already clinched 1st place in the OUA standings on Saturday, finish the season with a 20-3-1 record. It marks the fourth time in the past five years that the Gryphons have reached the 20-win plateau during the regular season.
Fourth year forward
Kelly Gribbons had a weekend to remember. One day after recording a hat trick versus Windsor, Gribbons was once again leading the offensive charge for the Gryphons, this time scoring two goals, both of which came on special teams (one short-handed, one on the power play). Gribbons finishes the weekend with five goals and one assist in two games played. She finishes the season second on the team in scoring with 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists) in 22 games played.
The Gryphons and Lakers will enter the playoffs as the top two seeds in the OUA playoffs. Nipissing, who defeated Guelph 1-0 earlier this season, held the Gryphons off the score sheet after the opening period of play. Just over two minutes into the 2nd period however, the Gryphs would open the scoring with
Sophie Contant scoring her 7th of the season to put the Gryphons up 1-0. Gribbons would push the lead to 2-0 after blocking a shot during a Gryphons penalty kill and breaking in alone to score her 11th of the season.
Just over four minutes into the 3rd period,
Karli Shell took advantage of a Nipissing turnover to extend the lead to 3-0. After the Lakers trimmed the deficit to two, Gribbons would re-store the three-goal lead with her second of the game and fifth of the weekend after converting a great feed from
Brittany St James to make it a 4-1 game. Valerie Lamenta turned away 20 of the 21 shots sent her way for her 15th win of the season.
Sunday's game also marked the Gryphons annual "GGHA Day" in support of the Guelph Girls Hockey Association.
The top-seeded Gryphons will now prepare for an OUA Quarter-final, best-of-three series versus the No. 8-seeded Windsor Lancers. Schedule and game time for the series is yet to be determined.
