In their opening game of the OUA men's hockey playoffs, the Windsor Lancers engaged the Guelph Gryphons in a battle of offence. After finishing the season separated by only three points, both teams refused to give the other an edge in the series.
Strong battling throughout the game resulted in a tie after three periods, and overtime was required to determine a winner. The Gryphons got the golden goal, taking the first game of the best-of-three series 5-4.
GAME STATS
Kyle Hope scored two goals for the Lancers, with teammates
John Wesley and
Connor Logan contributing a goal each.
Todd Winder was the hero of the night for the Gryphons, contributing a hat trick and an assist for a total of four points. The remaining Guelph goals came off the sticks of Reilly O'Connor and Marc Stevens.
GAME FLOW
The blue and gold wasted no time getting on the board. From the corner of the Gryphon's zone,
Ben Assad found
Connor Logan inside the left circle, one timing it over the shoulder of Guelph's goaltender.
Only minutes later,
Kyle Hope found himself on a breakaway down the ice, again putting the puck in the top corner to extend the Lancer lead.
Tensions between the two teams rose, with the Lancers taking three trips to the penalty box, giving the Gryphons and extended power play. The blue and gold successfully killed the penalties, as
Jonathan Reinhart held off the Gryphon attack to escape the period.
Guelph cut the Lancer lead in half early in the second period, as Todd Winder fired the puck over the shoulder of Reinhart.
John Wesley quickly responded, capitalizing on a turnover in the Guelph zone to briefly restore the Lancers' two goal lead.
Guelph quickly got the goal back, as Marc Stevens crashed the Lancers net, sneaking the puck past Reinhart before sending the net off its posts.
The scoring frenzy continued with Winder's second of the night tying the game up halfway through the second period.
The Lancers stopped the bleeding as Hope broke down the ice, rifling a shot from the top of the circle, deflecting off a Guelph player before finding the back of the net.
The blue and gold held the Gryphons off for the majority of the third period, but with only 1:33 left in regulation, Winder sent another puck towards the Lancer net, with Reilley O'Connor jumping on the rebound to tie the game, sending it into overtime.
9:00 into overtime, Winder completed his hat trick to win the game 5-4 for Guelph. The Gryphons lead the Lancers 1-0 in their best-of-three series.
UP NEXT
The Lancers will host the Gryphons for game two of the series on Saturday, February 16, at the Capri Pizzeria Recreation Complex. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30pm.
TICKETS FOR GAME 2
Advance tickets for the game can ONLY be purchased online at www.goLancers.ca/tickets. Adults are $10, Youth/Senior are $8, and UWindsor students are $5. UWin students will be required to present their valid student card with their ticket at the gate.
