GUELPH, Ont. - In their last game before the Christmas break, the Gryphons women's hockey team ended the 2021 portion of their schedule with a bang, earning in a 1-0 shootout win over the Brock Badgers on Saturday afternoon at the Gryphon Centre. In what is turning into a season tradition, the Gryphons once again went to overtime, marking the fifth consecutive time on home ice that 60 minutes has failed to provide a winner. After a scoreless overtime period, the Gryphons and Badgers would need a shootout to determine a winner, with Guelph using a stellar performance from rookie goalie
Martina Fedel and a shootout goal from forward
Jaime Magoffin to secure a fourth straight victory for the Gryphons.
The Gryphons were riding a three-game win streak after defeating the Brock Badgers 1-0 in an OT shutout on the road on Thursday night. Tied with 13 points in the OUA West division, the teams were neck and neck entering the second game of their home-and-home series.
As the first period was underway at the Gryphon Centre it was evident that Brock was looking for revenge. Despite a few dangerous scoring chances and two power plays from Brock, goaltender
Martina Fedel (Trento, Italy) and the Gryphon's penalty kill fended off the Badger's attacks to keep the score tied at 0-0 after the first period.
Looking to generate more offence, with Guelph held to four goals in their last three games, head coach
Rachel Flanagan experimented with some new line combinations on the power play unit, with
Lauren Ianni,
Chihiro Suzuki, and
Nicole MacKinnon up front and
Avery Peer and
Rylee Davison on the back end. Yet despite the stacked line the Gryphons were once again unable to find the back of the Badgers net in the second period.
Deadlocked at 0-0 heading into the third with the Badgers leading in shots, the Gryphons looked to breakout. A penalty call sent the Gryphons on the penalty kill where they were able to draw a call of their own to go on four on four and then the power play. Unfortunately, they were unable to beat the Brock goaltender and with another scoreless period, the Gryphons headed to overtime on home ice. The team was in familiar territory but despite three previous overtime wins under their belt they were unable to close out the game and thus the Gryphons went to their first shootout of the season.
As both Brock and Guelph players failed to convert on their first attempt,
Martina Fedel made an amazing glove save to hold the Badgers at bay and provide her team with a chance to snag the win. Capitalizing on the opportunity,
Jaime Magoffin, a 2nd-year management major from Woodstock, ON, went five-hole on Brock goaltender Aline Hironaka to score the lone goal for Guelph. After that, it was down to Fedel to close out the win. With yet another save, the Animal Biology major secured the Gryphon's fourth straight win and her second consecutive shutout off a 24-save performance.
After their win today, the Gryphons improve to a 6-1-1 (wins-losses-OT/SO losses) heading into the winter break and move into the 1st in the OUA West Division with 15 points. The Gryphon women return to action on Jan. 12 (Wed) at 7 pm when they travel to Waterloo to face off against the Laurier Golden Hawks.
