The
Gryphons made the trek to our nation’s capital on the weekend for their first
tournament of the season. Guelph’s Novice AA boys encountered some incredibly
stiff competition and responded very well.
The Gryphons opened the tournament with a tilt against the Ottawa Valley Silver Seven. The Ottawa boys were an impressive bunch and presented a significant challenge to the Gryphons. The boys from Guelph lost 8 – 0, but despite the one-sided result, there were a few standout performances. Luca R was an impressive physical presence on the ice, doing his best to respond to the Silver Seven’s significant size advantage. Not to be outdone, Tyson MB was outstanding in the match, making many first-shot saves and thwarting several second chance opportunities as well.
The boys from Guelph regrouped before their matchup against the Gloucester Rangers. Despite being on the losing end of the 6 – 4 score, the Gryphons put forth a strong effort and were never really out of the game. Nicco S earned a hat trick in the match while Gage T added a single. Ryan M continued his strong play adding 2 assists while Nate M had an assist as well. Wyatt M and Tyson D impressed on the Gryphon blue line making several checks to upset Ranger attacks.
After a good night’s sleep, the Gryphons arrived to the rink for day two ready to earn their first win. Guelph put forth a complete game effort against the Eastern Ontario Cobras and earned a 4 – 2 victory. Greg F led the way offensively with 2 goals while Sawyer S and Gage T added singles. Luca R and Auguste T each earned an assist. Evan P and Parker W made several contributions from the Gryphon blue line with many accurate passes through the neutral zone.
The Gryphons wrapped up their tournament with a meeting against the Cumberland Jr. Grads. The Grads were a tough opponent, taking a 3 – 1 lead into to third period, but the Gryphons were relentless in their effort. With 3:44 left in the third period, Greg F put the team on his shoulders and scored 2 short-handed goals in a span of two minutes and fifty seconds. The game ended in a 3 – 3 draw with Nicco S adding the other goal for the Gryphons. Wyatt M, Nate M, Colin C and Avery S earned assists in the game while Lucas S contributed some strong play on the Gryphon wing. Finn P’s strong play made the comeback possible as he was very solid in the Gryphon net.
The Guelph boys ended the tournament with a 1-2-1 record, good enough for 7th place in this 10 team tournament. However, they showed constant improvements in their team play, and are certainly prepared for the beginning of their regular season on Saturday when they host Brampton.