By Bill Johnson
The Atom Select Gryphons traveled down highway 6 Saturday night to play the Flamborough Sabres and were able to demonstrate the passing skills they have been working on. The first period started with some heavy pressure by the Gryphons team forcing the Flamborough netminder to make several tough saves. The Gryphons were able to break through with 6:25 remaining in the period after a centering pass by Hudson Marshall was flicked into the net by Kailen Robertson to make it 1-0. The Gryphons were able to strike again at the 2:32 mark as Will McNab deked around the Sabres defence and placed a strong shot in the low right corner with the goalie sliding to his left. The second period ended 2-0 in favour of the Guelph team.
The teams played a fast second period as there were very few stoppages in play. The only scoring in the period went to the home team, as Sabres forward Sam Curtis took a pass from Colin Flippance and was able to skate down the ice on a breakaway and fire a backhand into the net. The best chance to score in the period for the Gryphons came off a slick backhand pass out front by Nate Taylor, that was slapped at by Finn Coulson, but the Sabres goalie smartly cut off the angle and was able to make a big save.
The Gryphons opened the third period with a goal at the 12:37 mark. Isaac Hughes sent a strong pass from the defensive blue line up to Finn Coulson at the offensive blue line, who was then able to play it forward to Brayden Tomei, who was able to poke the puck through the Sabres goalies legs to make it 3-1. The Sabres were able to get this goal back only 20 seconds later after long pass by the Sabres Keaton Stones was able to spring Landon Elliot on a breakaway and he flicked it over the Gryphons goalie to tighten up the score to 3-2. This would be the last of the scoring for the home team, as the Gryphons took over from here and scored four straight goals. At the 7:26 mark a backhand by Nate Taylor was picked up by William McNab and he was able to slot it home for his second goal of the night. At the 3:57 Hudson Marshall was able to pick up a lose puck and skate in on a breakaway and fire a backhand into the top of the net to make the score 5-2. Then only 11 seconds later, it was Hudson Marshall making a nice centering pass to Tanner Johnson alone in front of the net, and he was able to shove the puck past a sprawling Sabres goalie. The final scoring came with 1:53 remaining in the game, as Nate Taylor converted on a scramble in front of the net with William McNab drawing an assist on the play. The game ended with the final score 7-2 in favour of the visiting team.
Solid play once again by the Gryphons defensemen as they were able to continually hold the puck in at the offensive blueline to maintain pressure, and also made several smart passes to break out of their end of the ice. Based on this, James Thomson received the player of the game award as he worked hard and had his head up the whole game finding his teammates with great passes. The Gryphons also received some timely saves from the Gryphons netminders while the game was still close in the 1st and 2nd periods. Our next game is Tuesday at 5:15pm versus Cambridge.