Junior Gryphs aim for bronze in U18 AAA tourney

TORONTO – The Guelph Junior Gryphons are to play for bronze Sunday at the Ontario Hockey Federation’s U18 AAA championship tournament at the Scotiabank Pond.

The Ontario Minor Hockey Association champion Junior Gryphs gained a berth in Saturday’s semifinal against the Toronto Young Nationals after finishing fourth in the preliminary round-robin segment of the tournament at 2-4-0. The Young Nationals had finished first at 5-0-1.

However, the Young Nationals needed three goals in the third period to down the Junior Gryphs 4-1.

Toronto had scored the lone goal of the first period while Guelph had the only goal of the second, an unassisted marker by Roenick Jakielaszek with the Junior Gryphs enjoying a two-man advantage.

Keegan Driscoll had a pair of goals for the Young Nationals while Jeremy Hirsch and Dylan Edwards also scored. Assists went to Yianni Koukouves, Anthony Francella and Jesse Aitken.

The Junior Gryphs went 1-for-4 on their power play while the Young Nationals went 1-for-5.

Hayden Sabourin was in net for Guelph while Nick Tsatsanis was in goal for Toronto.

The other semifinal saw the Mississauga Reps edge the Nepean Raiders 6-5. Mississauga had finished second at 4-0-2 and Nepean was third at 3-2-1.

The Junior Gryphs and Nepean are to clash in the bronze-medal match Sunday at 12 noon while Toronto and Mississauga are to meet in the gold-medal game Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

• Guelph Sports Journal