GUELPH, Ont. - The Gryphons men's hockey team saw their 2021-22 season come to a close on home ice Sunday afternoon (March 13) when a delay for ice maintenance resulted in a game cancellation after just over 20 minutes of play and the game tied at 1-1. With no official result recorded from the game, the Gryphons end their 2021-22 season with a 4-9-3 record.
The Gryphons honoured three graduating players from their roster, with assistant captain
Connor Bramwell, centre
Andrew Dodson and goaltender
Gabe Mollot-Hill all recognized prior to puck drop.
Meeting for the second time in a 24 hour span following an exciting overtime match on Saturday afternoon, both Guelph and Windsor came out on Sunday afternoon with plenty of energy and intensity despite the lack of playoff repercussions surrounding the game.
Just over halfway through the opening period, the Gryphons opened the scoring. Third-year forward
Cameron Searles won the faceoff and rookie
Jacob Winterton fired it home his 4th of the season. With the minutes winding down and the Gryphon pressure continuing on the Lancer's net, it would be team captain
Ted Nichol who drew the first and only call of the game to send his team to the man advantage. Unfortunately for the Gryphons, the Lancers would capitalize with a shorthanded goal after Lancer John Parker-Jones gained possession and fired the puck past Mollot-Hill to tie the game. The Gryphs would fail to convert on the remainder of their power play time and the game would head to the second tied with the Gryphons leading in shots 9-5.
Heading into the second period with a goal apiece the teams would play just long enough for goaltender and graduating senior
Gabe Mollot-Hill to make an excellent pad save on first period Lancer goal scorer John Parker-Jones.
But after just over 2:00 of play in the second, the period would come to a halt as a large hole was discovered in the Gryphons crease that would result in a significant delay and eventual cancellation of the game. With the score still tied at 1-1, the Gryphons officially concluded their 2021-22 season.
Facing a significantly shortened season, the team fought adversity on more than one account. From losing five players to pro contracts during the COVID break (Lucas Chiodo, Ryan Da Silva, Nick Isaacson, Aidan Brown, Giordano Finoro) to multiple injuries to their roster, the Gryphons showed tremendous character and resilience to pull together to force a final playoff push. Leading the team in points and assists this season was graduating senior
Connor Bramwell. At a point a game for the entirely of his career, he capped off his final season with the team with 14 assists (4th in the OUA) and 20 points. The team's leading goal scorer was Windsor, ON native
Ted McGeen, who captured his 7th goal of the season vs the Lancers less than 24 hours earlier. Rounding out the impressive roster was goaltender
Colton Incze, who stood strong while facing significant time in net due to an injured roster. With a small graduating class this season, the Gryphosn will return to the ice next fall with a majority of their roster still in tact.
