GUELPH, Ont. – On Thursday night the Guelph Gryphons men's hockey team took on the Brock Badgers at the Gryphon Centre in their 2023-24 home-opener, suffering a hard-fought 4-2 loss to fall to 0-2-0 on the season. 

The Badgers were able to take the early lead just over five minutes into the game when a 2-on-1 opportunity in close left goaltender Tanner Wickware unable to get across to stop an Ethan Sims tap-in. Just a few minutes later the Gryphosn received their first powerplay opportunity and were able to put the pressure on the visiting team. Their pressure paid off when, as the penalty expired, second-year forward Anthony Tabak was sent a shot towards the crease which bounce off the stick of Brock defender and into the back of the net. The goal was Tabak's first of the season and 15th career score with the Gryphons after leading the team in scoring last season. 

Early in the second frame the Badgers recaptured the lead when a turnover in the defensive zone left the Gryphons unable to recover, surrending the game's third goal to Matthew O'Brien of the Badgers. Momentum would shift back in the Gryphons favour heading into the second intermission following a pair of killed penalties which included 30 seconds of 5-of-3 for Brock. Coming back onto the ice for the final period the Gryphons were on the attack when 2023-24 captain and third-year defenceman Tristan De Jong fired a wrist shot from the point that was defelcted by Griffin Wilson and past Brock goaltender Connor Ungar to send the game to it's second tie. 

With both team's tightening up on defence in the third both goaltenders were forced to come up with timely saves to keep the game at a stalemate. Wickware came up with 17 of his 37 saves in the third whil Ungar kept the Badgers in the game making 5 of 20 in the final frame. Despite the final score it was another impressive performance from Wickware who made 26 stops in the Gryphons season opener against the Nipissing Lakers back on September 23. The Badgers, for the third time of the game, were able to break the tie with a wrist shot into the corner of the net that ultimately proved to be the game-winner with Brocka adding an empty net score in the final minute to secure their win. 

The Gryphons (0-2-0) will now shift their focus to the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks, who will come to the Gryphon Centre for a Saturday night showdown. Puck drop for Saturday's game is set for 7:30pm with tickets available at gryphons.ca/tickets. Fans unable to attend can catch the game, along with season-long Gryphon hockey action, on oua.tv.