Gryphon hockey men return home to slip by Ridgebacks

GUELPH – It was home sweet home for the Guelph Gryphons in OUA men’s hockey play Friday night at the Gryphon Centre.

The Gryphs put the brakes on a two-game losing skid, both suffered last weekend in Montreal, by hanging on for a 3-2 win over the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks.

The Gryphs grabbed the lead in the first period as Jonah De Simone’s unassisted goal at the 11-minute mark broke a 1-1 tie.

Jacob Winterton added to the lead with the lone goal of the second period before Ontario Tech reduced the gap to the final one-goal margin with a goal in the second minute of the third.

Winterton had scored the opening goal for the Gryphs on a power play while Anthony Tabak had two assists in the game and Jaxon Camp and Nolan Forster had one apiece.

Ben Roode and Cullen McLean scored for Ontario Tech while assists went to Gabriel Bernier, James White, Andrew Suriyuth and Williams Robinson.

The Gryphs outshot the Ridgebacks 31-30 and they went 1-for-2 on their power play while Ontario Tech was scoreless on two power plays.

Guelph is in a four-way tie for fourth in the OUA West with a 4-4-0 record. Toronto Metropolitan Bold and Windsor Lancers are both at 4-3-0 while the Laurier Golden Hawks are at 3-5-2. Brock Badgers are first at 8-1-0, Toronto Varsity Blues second at 6-3-0 and Lakehead Thunderwolves third at 4-3-1.

The Gryphs are to host ninth-ranked Windsor Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Gryphon Centre.

• Guelph Sports Journal