GUELPH, Ont. – A Frosty Mug record-tying crowd of 4,942 fans filled the Sleeman Centre and were sent home happy after the University of Guelph Gryphons men's hockey team earned a 3-2 victory in the 13th edition of the Gryphons signature event. A third period goal at the 10:43 mark by Gryphon forward
Luke Bignell proved to be the game-winner after the Gryphons fended off a furious late push by the Golden Hawks as the hosts claimed Frosty Mug bragging rights with a 3-2 win.
With the victory, the Gryphons improve to 6-7-7 on the season (8th in the OUA West Division), with just two points separating them and the Golden Hawks, with Laurier falling to 10-10-1 on the season (7th in the OUA West).
"The young guys handled the game very well," said Gryphons head coach,
Shawn Camp, who has been behind the U of G bench for all 13 Frosty Mug games and is in his 16th season in charge of the Gryphons men's hockey program. "There was a lot of pressure, not just to win in front of the crowd but also to start our playoff push. It was incredible that we were able to get the win in front of our fans. Our guys are so excited and appreciative to have the support of the students, the school, and the fans from the community. Everybody really enjoyed the experience, there's nothing quite like The Frosty Mug."
It was evident from puck drop that the Gryphons were determined to give the enthusiastic Gryphon crowd something to cheer about, with the Gryphons applying pressure on the visiting Golden Hawks from the get-go. The first period fore check was led by 2nd-year forward
Luke Bignell, who made the crowd erupt with several crushing hits. Despite giving up the game's first man-advantage midway through the period, the U of G men's hockey team would have the best scoring chance after
Cameron Searles forced a turnover and would take the puck down the ice for a breakaway chance that was stopped by the Golden Hawk netminder. The Gryphons would close out the remaining minutes of the period with some great scoring chances before a penalty with :06 seconds left would give Laurier an offensive faceoff with a chance to take the game's first lead. A Golden Hawk point shot would beat Gryphon goalie
Brendan Cregan and the gameclock, giving the visiting team the lead with 0.1 seconds remaining in the opening period.
After emerging from the locker room at the Sleeman Centre, the Gryphons and Gol
den Hawks stiffened their defences and limited the scoring chances that were seen in the first period. Despite the Gryphons still looking for their first goal, the crowd at the Sleeman Centre remained determined to spark their squad. The record-tying crowd would erupt late in the second period after
Brendan Cregan made a spectacular glove save on a 2-on-0 shorthanded Laurier breakaway. Cregan would finish the game stopping 38 of 40 shots fired his way for his 3rd win of the season.
Just a few minutes later, 5th-year Windsor native
Ted McGeen would throw the puck towards the visiting net where Gryphon forward
Anthony Tabak would tip it past Laurier goaltender Christian Propp for his 8th goal of the 2022-23 campaign, sending the Sleeman Centre crowd into a frenzy and tying the game at 1-1. Less than a minute later, the Gryphons were at it again. A great forecheck from
Griffin Wilson forced a Golden Hawk turnover in their own end. Wilson would send the puck onto the stick of
Jacob Winterton who, after scanning the ice, would find an incoming
Nolan DeGurse across the crease who would fire the puck into a wide-open net to give the Gryphons their first lead of the game.
With the Gryphons taking the lead heading into the second intermission the energized home crowd would take part in a customary rendition of 'Sweet Caroline,' bringing the Sleeman Centre to an even higher level of energy. When play resumed for the final period of Frosty Mug action the decibel level remained high thanks to a couple great scoring chances for the Gryphons in the opening minute. Despite their strong start, it would be the visitors grabbing the next goal to temporarily silence the crown, with Laurier tying the game at 2-2 at 1:35 of the third period.
The momentum would not stay with the visiting team however, as they would take a hooking penalty just before the 10-minute mark. On the power play, Tristan De Jong would send a pass from the point onto the stick of
Jacob Winterton who would find
Luke Bignell in close for the go-ahead goal with just over nine minutes remaining.
Despite a furious Laurier attack following Bignell's goal, the Gryphons would hold firm and force the Golden Hawks to pull the goalie with under two minutes remaining in the game. With the extra attacker, Laurier would launch a fury of shots at
Brendan Cregan in a desperate effort to find the equalizer and force overtime. Cregan and the Gryphons would hold on down the stretch, with the Gryphons escaping with a memorable 3-2 win to reclaim Frosty Mug bragging rights.
The Gryphons, who return to action right away on Friday night (Jan. 20) with a road game at Lakehead, improve their all-time record at the Frosty Mug to 8-4-1. For the first star of the game,
Luke Bignell, the atmosphere at the Frosty Mug was something the Kitchener native certainly appreciated. "The crowd was a difference maker for us, they celebrated everything; every big hit, every blocked shot, and that gave the team momentum," says Bignell, who picked up his 11th and 12th points of the season. "That crowd was like nothing I have ever played in front of before. It felt great to get the win for the team and for the fans, we appreciate everyone who came out. It means the world to us."
