GUELPH, Ont. – Three goals in the final period, two of which were of the empty net variety, were enough for the visiting Waterloo Warriors to spoil the Gryphons men's hockey home opener, with Waterloo skating to a 5-2 win on Thursday night (Oct. 9, 2025) at the Gryphon Centre Arena. It marks the first loss of the 2025-26 regular season schedule for the Gryphons, who fall to 2-1-0 on the season. With the win, the Waterloo Warriors improve to 3-0-0.
 
After opening up the season with a pair of impressive road wins last week in Thunder Bay, the Gryphons returned to their home ice for the first time on Thursday night. It would not take long for the Gryphons to get on the score sheet on their home ice, as just :61 seconds into the game it would be second-year forward Dylan Hudon coming up with a beautiful assist to set up Julien Gervais who one-timed home his first of the season to give the Gryphons a 1-0 lead. After the Warriors answered back to take a 2-1 lead, the Gryphons would strike on the power play, with Nolan Dann scoring his first of the new season to knot things up at 2-2.
 
But Waterloo would re-take the lead for good midway through the 3rd period, with the game-winning goal coming from Warriors third-year forward Emmett Pierce whose second goal of the night would give the visitors a 3-2 lead with 8:50 remaining in regulation. Two empty-net goals from Waterloo in the closing minutes would make the final 5-2. Gryphons rookie goalie, Olivier Ciarlo, made 27 saves on 30 shots. The Gryphons (2-1-0) will play each of their next three games on home ice, including back-to-back games next week, beginning with hosting the Lakehead Thunderwolves (0-3-0) on Friday (Oct. 17), followed by a home matchup with the Windsor Lancers (1-0-0) on Saturday night (Oct. 18). Tickets for both games are available online at www.gryphons.ca/tickets, with all Gryphons men's hockey games throughout the 2025-26 season available to view live online at www.oua.tv.