Novice Selects Upended by Rangers, News, Novice, 2016-2017, U16 (Guelph Minor Hockey Association)

This Team is part of the 2016-2017 season, which is not set as the current season.
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Jan 17, 2017 | Bruce Schlitt | 527 views
Novice Selects Upended by Rangers
The Gryphon Novice Selects hosted the Kitchener Jr Rangers on Monday night at Centennial Arena but despite jumping into an early lead, the Gryphons came out on the losing end of the Battle of Highway 7 by a score of 5-3.

The Gryphons struck early.  Off the opening draw, centerman Nathan Bowman slipped the puck between the legs of the Kitchener centre where right winger Declan O Hearn swooped in to pick up the loose puck, split the Ranger defence,  and broke in all alone where he snapped a wrist shot over the right pad of the Kitchener goalie for a 1-0 lead.  All within only 8 seconds of play.

However,  Kitchener answered right back only 59 seconds later when Carson Arges roofed a puck to tie the score.  Arges struck again four minutes later and a goal by Reid Brabazon with 1:59 left in the first gave Kitchener a 3-1 lead and had the Gryphons back on their heels.  With just under a minute left in the opening frame,  Joseph Piccone and Nathan Bowman worked the puck loose in the Ranger zone and Bowman directed a shot on net that snuck its way into the back of the net to pull the Gryphons back to within a goal.  The score after one period of play stood 3-2 in favour of the visiting Rangers.

Reid Brabazon tallied a second time for the only goal of the second period and Kitchener took a 4-2 lead into the third period.

With 6:05 left in the game, Declan O'Hearn worked the puck loose along the side boards to Joseph Piccone just inside the Ranger blueline.   Piccone's slapper caught the far corner of the net past the outstretched Ranger netminder and the Gryphons were back within a goal.   2 mintutes later,  Kitchener's Zach Taylor scored on a wraparound to restore the Ranger's two goal cushion. The final four minutes saw the Gryph unable to mount an offensive attack and the final buzzer sounded with Kitchener skating off with a 5-3 victory.

The Gryphons (7-4 on the season) return to action this Sunday night when they travel to Fergus to battle Centre Wellington.