Coming off a highly controversial overtime loss in Game 2 on Sunday, the Novice AA Gryphons travelled to Fergus on Wednesday for Game 3 of the OMHA Central Quarter Final with the series tied 1-1. The Gryphons put in a solid 40 minutes of hockey and emerged with a 4-2 victory to take a 2-1 lead in the best of five series.
Centre Wellington got the jump on the Gryphons off of the opening faceoff and 1:08 into the game, Centre Wellington star Sam Black wired a wrist shot from the face off dot that Gryphon goaltender Alessandro Gruosso was able to get a piece off, but the puck trickled in for a 1-0 Fusion lead. Three minutes later, Guelph got on the board as Nathan Schlitt took three wacks at a rebound in front of the Centre Wellington net and was finally able to lift it over the Fusion netminder. Vincent Piccone and Matthew Stam drew assists on the play. The score stood 1-1 after the first period of play.
2:55 into the second, Nathan Briggs fed a perfect pass thru two Wellington defenders to spring Koen Smith loose on a breakaway. Just as it appeared that Smith was going to get caught from behind he lazered a wrist shot underneath the cross bar to give Guelph the lead that they would never relinquish. Two minutes later, Matthew Stam's shot sailed wide of the net, only to bounce out the other side to a waiting Landon Mitchell. Mitchell ripped the puck into the open cage for a 3-1 Guelph lead. Nathan Schlitt also drew an assist on the play. Three minutes after that, Centre Wellington closed the gap as they forced a turnover in the Guelph zone while shorthanded and scored to make the score 3-2. Guelph hung on to their one goal lead as the second period came to a close.
Only one goal was scored in the third period. With seven minutes remaining, Nathan Briggs broke free in the neutral zone and bore down on the Fusion defense and ripped a wrist shot top corner to give the Gryphs some much needed breathing room. Centre Wellington poured on the pressure but the defensive wall of Solomon, Chabot, Milne, Smith, Conroy, and Piccone kept the scoring chances to a minimum. For the second game this series, Alessandro Gruosso was fantastic between the pipes and earned the win.
With a 2-1 series lead, the Gryphons return to action this Friday night as they host Game 4 at the Centennial Arena.