Gryphs get second winning weekend of season
GUELPH – The Guelph Gryphons got to experience something they hadn’t experienced since the opening weekend of their OUA men’s hockey season – a winning weekend.
Cameron Searles scored late in the third period to give the Gryphs a 3-2 win over the Western Mustangs Saturday night at the Gryphon Centre. They’d beaten the Waterloo Warriors in a shootout at Waterloo Friday night to end a six-game losing streak.
Guelph Gryphons 3 Western Mustangs 2
“It feels more like our teams in the past that have been competing for playoff spots and finding ways to win,” Gryphon coach Sean Camp said. “We probably deserved a result in a couple of games along the way that we didn’t before, but we were grabbing points in some of those games that was really critical so now to get four out of four this weekend gives us a good bump and we have games in hand on everybody in our division so we’re in a good situation now.”
“It’s been a while so it feels really good for the boys,” Gryph forward Jacob Winterton said of the winning weekend. “There’s a lot of confidence in that room now.”
On the opening weekend of their season the Gryphs had beaten the same two teams as they’d edged Western in overtime in London Oct. 14 and slipped by Waterloo in their home opener the following night.
But the weekend’s results were the result of more than just playing and beating the same two teams again.
“We’ve become better defensively,” coach Camp said. “We’re winning the close games now. Earlier in our little streak there we had leads, but couldn’t protect the leads — just a young team trying to find our way. How do we mature and play with poise down the stretch like in third periods when you have a lead? We weren’t doing enough of a job of it before. We’re slowly but surely evolving to be a better defensive team. And we’re getting consistent goaltending now which is helping us.”
“It was just our effort,” Winterton said. “We’re doing the right things more now and we’re being harder on the puck and winning our puck battles more.”
Saturday, the Gryphs led three times in the game, but the first two leads were short-lived. Their first lead in the opening period lasted 58 seconds while they were on top for 78 seconds of game time in their second lead that started in the final minute of the second period and ended in the opening minute of the third.
“The boys just rallied,” Winterton said. “It’s been a while since we had a weekend like that and we just built on it from (Friday) night. We did all the right things and when we had the opportunity to score, we scored. Things just went well for us tonight.”
Anthony Tabak, Ted McGee and Searles scored the goals for Guelph while Winterton assisted on all three goals. Jaxon Camp and Ashton Reesor had one assist apiece.
Reed Morrison and Sean Montgomery each had a goal for Western while Shane Bulitka and Jake Gravelle each had an assist.
The Gryphs were outshot 30-26. The locals went 1-for-6 on their power play while the Mustangs went 1-for-5.
Tanner Wickware had 28 saves for the Gryphs while Dylan Myskiw had 23 for Western. Wickware had the win Friday, too, as the Gryphs continue with four goalies on the active roster.
“Everybody’s had lots of games which has been good for them in that it’s been a very fair audition for everybody,” coach Camp said. “We opened up that whoever can grab this and run with it will get the net. The good news is that they’re all really competitive guys, but they all get along really well. And whoever’s turn it is, they support them so they’re a really cooperative group, which is awesome, and we feel we can’t win without all of them. They’ve all contributed and they all have been getting their games so so far so good.”
Wickware and Nate McDonald have split playing time in the league games while Colton Incze and Brendan Cregan saw time in the preseason and in their games against NCAA teams. Incze and Cregan have also dressed as back-ups.
But former Guelph junior B and midget AAA goalie Wickware appears to have grabbed it and is running with it.
“It looks like it right now,” coach Camp said. “He certainly got the result in both games for us, which we were looking for. Every game we’ll evaluate, but it looks good for him moving forward.”
While the Gryphs did have a six-game losing streak with three of the losses coming after regulation time, they did stay positive.
“It helps having a good group of guys in the room,” Winterton said. “We’re pretty positive in the room together and we really like each other as a group. It’s better when you’re well-liked with your peers. It’s better that way.”
And what do the Gryphs have to do to turning the winning into a habit?
“Just keep on playing our game,” Winterton said. “That’s pretty cliche to say, but we could really build off this weekend. We did a lot of good things and we’ve just got to build on those good things.”
Guelph (4-3-3-0), York Lions (5-6-1-0) and Laurier Golden Hawks (5-6-1-0) are tied for sixth in the 10-team West Division with 11 points apiece. Western (3-5-4-0) is ninth with 10 points and Waterloo (4-7-0-1) is 10th with nine points.
The Gryphs have a pair of games this week as they’re to host the Toronto Varsity Blues (fourth in West at 7-4-1-0 for 15 points) Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Gryphon Centre and play Laurier at the Sun Life Financial Arena in the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
- Guelph Sports Journal
Gryphs get second winning weekend of season
GUELPH – The Guelph Gryphons got to experience something they hadn’t experienced since the opening weekend of their OUA men’s hockey season – a winning weekend.
Cameron Searles scored late in the third period to give the Gryphs a 3-2 win over the Western Mustangs Saturday night at the Gryphon Centre. They’d beaten the Waterloo Warriors in a shootout at Waterloo Friday night to end a six-game losing streak.
Guelph Gryphons 3
Western Mustangs 2
“It feels more like our teams in the past that have been competing for playoff spots and finding ways to win,” Gryphon coach Sean Camp said. “We probably deserved a result in a couple of games along the way that we didn’t before, but we were grabbing points in some of those games that was really critical so now to get four out of four this weekend gives us a good bump and we have games in hand on everybody in our division so we’re in a good situation now.”
“It’s been a while so it feels really good for the boys,” Gryph forward Jacob Winterton said of the winning weekend. “There’s a lot of confidence in that room now.”
On the opening weekend of their season the Gryphs had beaten the same two teams as they’d edged Western in overtime in London Oct. 14 and slipped by Waterloo in their home opener the following night.
But the weekend’s results were the result of more than just playing and beating the same two teams again.
“We’ve become better defensively,” coach Camp said. “We’re winning the close games now. Earlier in our little streak there we had leads, but couldn’t protect the leads — just a young team trying to find our way. How do we mature and play with poise down the stretch like in third periods when you have a lead? We weren’t doing enough of a job of it before. We’re slowly but surely evolving to be a better defensive team. And we’re getting consistent goaltending now which is helping us.”
“It was just our effort,” Winterton said. “We’re doing the right things more now and we’re being harder on the puck and winning our puck battles more.”
Saturday, the Gryphs led three times in the game, but the first two leads were short-lived. Their first lead in the opening period lasted 58 seconds while they were on top for 78 seconds of game time in their second lead that started in the final minute of the second period and ended in the opening minute of the third.
“The boys just rallied,” Winterton said. “It’s been a while since we had a weekend like that and we just built on it from (Friday) night. We did all the right things and when we had the opportunity to score, we scored. Things just went well for us tonight.”
Anthony Tabak, Ted McGee and Searles scored the goals for Guelph while Winterton assisted on all three goals. Jaxon Camp and Ashton Reesor had one assist apiece.
Reed Morrison and Sean Montgomery each had a goal for Western while Shane Bulitka and Jake Gravelle each had an assist.
The Gryphs were outshot 30-26. The locals went 1-for-6 on their power play while the Mustangs went 1-for-5.
Tanner Wickware had 28 saves for the Gryphs while Dylan Myskiw had 23 for Western. Wickware had the win Friday, too, as the Gryphs continue with four goalies on the active roster.
“Everybody’s had lots of games which has been good for them in that it’s been a very fair audition for everybody,” coach Camp said. “We opened up that whoever can grab this and run with it will get the net. The good news is that they’re all really competitive guys, but they all get along really well. And whoever’s turn it is, they support them so they’re a really cooperative group, which is awesome, and we feel we can’t win without all of them. They’ve all contributed and they all have been getting their games so so far so good.”
Wickware and Nate McDonald have split playing time in the league games while Colton Incze and Brendan Cregan saw time in the preseason and in their games against NCAA teams. Incze and Cregan have also dressed as back-ups.
But former Guelph junior B and midget AAA goalie Wickware appears to have grabbed it and is running with it.
“It looks like it right now,” coach Camp said. “He certainly got the result in both games for us, which we were looking for. Every game we’ll evaluate, but it looks good for him moving forward.”
While the Gryphs did have a six-game losing streak with three of the losses coming after regulation time, they did stay positive.
“It helps having a good group of guys in the room,” Winterton said. “We’re pretty positive in the room together and we really like each other as a group. It’s better when you’re well-liked with your peers. It’s better that way.”
And what do the Gryphs have to do to turning the winning into a habit?
“Just keep on playing our game,” Winterton said. “That’s pretty cliche to say, but we could really build off this weekend. We did a lot of good things and we’ve just got to build on those good things.”
Guelph (4-3-3-0), York Lions (5-6-1-0) and Laurier Golden Hawks (5-6-1-0) are tied for sixth in the 10-team West Division with 11 points apiece. Western (3-5-4-0) is ninth with 10 points and Waterloo (4-7-0-1) is 10th with nine points.
The Gryphs have a pair of games this week as they’re to host the Toronto Varsity Blues (fourth in West at 7-4-1-0 for 15 points) Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Gryphon Centre and play Laurier at the Sun Life Financial Arena in the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
- Guelph Sports Journal