WINDSOR, Ont. – In Game 1 of the OUA West Quarter-finals between Guelph and Windsor, the Gryphons needed all 60 minutes, plus overtime, to get past the Lancers. In Game 2, the outcome was never a doubt.
 
Guelph scored :21 seconds into the opening period and never looked back, limiting Windsor to just 15 shots on goal en route to a dominating 4-0 road win over the Lancers.

With the win, the Gryphons sweep the best-of-three series and advance to the OUA West Semi-finals.
 
Sophomore forward Todd Winder (Uxbridge, ON) continued his torrid playoff pace, jumping on a loose puck in close and beating Windsor goalie Jonathan Reinhart :21 seconds into the 1st period to give Guelph an early 1-0 lead. For Winder, it marked his 10th goal in his seventh career playoff game. The Economics major scored a hat trick in Game 1 on Thursday, including the OT-winner.
 
The Gryphons would push their lead to 2-0 later in the opening period when rookie Ryan Valentini fired home his first career playoff goal, capping the scoring in a dominant opening 20 minutes of play for the visiting Gryphons, who limited Windsor to just three shots.
 
In the second period, the Gryphons would limit the Lancers to just two shots while also adding a back-breaking short-handed goal from fifth-year veteran Andres Kopstals. During a four-minute power play opportunity for the Lancers, Kopstals was able to break up a Windsor pass at the blue line before heading the other way and finishing on a partial breakaway to put Guelph in control, up 3-0. Mikkel Aagaard, a former member of the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds, would cap the scoring with his first goal as a Gryphon, giving Guelph a convincing 4-0 road win.
 
Gryphons third-year goalie Andrew Masters needed to make just 15 saves to earn his third shutout in his last four games. The Gryphons have now eliminated the Lancers from the postseason in each of their last four head-to-head playoff meetings, which have come within the last five seasons.
 
Guelph, the No. 4-seed in the OUA West, will now advance to face the division-leading Ryerson Rams, who swept their series with the Toronto Varsity Blues. The Gryphons won two of their three head-to-head meetings with Ryerson during the regular season.
 
Gryphon Take
"Windsor is always such a tough place to play. They play a very fast, physical style on their home ice. We were not pleased with what we gave up in Game 1 but the guys made a real commitment tonight to being better defensively. An early goal gave us some momentum and the guys stayed with it throughout the game." ~ Gryphon head coach Shawn Camp
 
Next up
OUA West semi-final series vs Ryerson Rams
Game 1:  Thursday, Feb. 21 (Guelph @ Ryerson – 7:15pm)
Game 2:  Saturday, Feb. 23 (Ryerson @ Guelph – 7:30pm)
Game 3 (if necessary):  Sunday, Feb. 23 (Guelph @ Ryerson – 7:15pm)

*** Tentative schedule/subject to change***