Four-goal outburst gives win to Gryphon hockey women

KINGSTON – The Guelph Gryphons fired home four consecutive goals as they opened the 2024 portion of their OUA women’s hockey season with a 6-4 victory over the Queen’s Gaels Friday night at the Kingston Memorial Centre.

The Gryphs never trailed in the game, but were tied three times – 0-0, 1-1 and 2-2. They broke the final deadlock with their four-goal run before Queen’s scored a pair of goals 17 seconds apart in the fifth minute of the third to complete the scoring.

Guelph led 2-1 at the end of the first period and 5-2 after the second.

Maya Graham had a hat trick for the Gryphs while Vanessa Bueti scored twice and Hannah Tait added the other goal. Jessica Kouleas and Reese Coffey each had two assists while Rylee Davison, Teghan MacRae, Katherine Heard and Tiana Faccio each had one assist.

Scout Watkins-Southward had two goals for Queen’s and Kelsey Dunn and Sarah Campbell had one apiece. Mikayla Cranney collected two assists while Carys Collie, Emma Michalicka and Sara Di Filippo had one each.

The Gryphs outshot the Gaels 37-17 and both teams were scoreless on two power plays.

The win was the fifth in a row for the West Division-leading Gryphs who are at 11-2-2-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L) while Queen’s is third in the East Division at 6-2-0-8.

The Gryphs are to play the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks, fourth in the East at 4-2-2-8, Saturday at 7 p.m. at Ontario Tech’s Campus Ice Centre in Oshawa.

• Guelph Sports Journal