The Gryphon's played some of their most and least inspired hockey of the year this week and finished the week with a 2-1 record.
Action for the week started off on Tuesday night against local rival Woolich Wildcats. In one of their most complete games of the season, the team cruised to a 7-0 win, against a tough opponent. From the opening drop, the Gryphons were flying, with an aggressive forecheck pinning the Wildcats in their end for most of the game. When the forecheck broke down, the defensive core held back the opposing attackers and quickly returned to offense. If Wildcats broke through, Big Max Heroux stood tall in net, including making several outstanding saves on break-aways and in-close plays, to earn another shutout.
The scoring was started by Caleb Davison just 40 seconds into the contest off a beautiful cross ice feed from Peyton Smith. Less than a minute later, Conner "Laser" Laskowski broke up the battle in the neutral zone, streaked down the left wall and ripped a wrist shot that hit the iron behind the goalie, then bounced off the goalie's back, and found the back of the net. Laskowski added his second of the night with just under two-minutes to play in the period, off a pass from Davison. After one period of play the Gryphon's held a 3-0 lead.
The second period saw the Gryphon's double their lead. Chace Roffel started the second period scoring at 7:33 off a faceoff win in the Wildcat zone and a low shot from the point. Kenny Beynon and Jackson Byard drew assists on the play. Almost a minute later, Nate Taylor made it 5-0 off a feed from Milan Wilson. Owen McNamee added another less than a minute later with an assist from Byard. Oliver Fletcher also collected an assist on the play.
The third period saw the Gryphon's continue to pour on the pressure, but the Wildcat goalie came up big time and again. The only goal of the period was scored by Beynon with another assist from Smith.
Friday night, the Gryphon's returned to the ice to face the Brampton 45s and took a 3-0 loss. Brampton's victory was well earned as the Gryphon's did not come out with the same intensity and compete from earlier in the week. Throughout the game the team kept pressure on the 45's, but could not turn that pressure into consistent scoring chances. The Brampton goalie came up with huge saves on every Gryphon. At the other end of the ice, Brampton buried the chances they had scoring two in the first period and one in the second.
Sunday night, the Gryphon's returned to the ice to face the league leading Halton Hills Thunder. In 12 games heading into this matchup, the Thunder had not lost, had scored 6 goals a game and only given up 1.5 goals on average. The Gryphon's rose to the challenge and played their best game of the year, skating away with a 2-1 win in a tight checking, back and forth affair.
The Gryphon's were flying from the drop of the puck with the first several shifts of the game being played in the Thunder end. Excellent passing between the 5-man units, aggressive pressure, and strong checking any time a Thunder player touched the puck, set the tone for the rest of the game. The constant pressure created several scoring chances for the Gryphon's through most of the first period, the Thunder goalie kept the door shut. With only 8 seconds left in the period, a small crack appeared and Owen McNamee slid the puck into the back of the net.
The back and forth play continued into the second period. Just under five minutes into the period the Gryphon's thought they had taken a two-goal lead, off a deflected point shot, but the referee immediately waved it off with a high-sticking call. As the period was winding down, Halton netted the tying goal, ensuring a stressful third period.
Heading into the third, with the game tied, the Gryphon's were loose and confident and it showed in the game play. Big Max Heroux, with stellar defense in front of him blocking shots and tipping passes, turned away all shots directed at him throughout the period, including making a huge glove save on a breakaway half way through the period. Every forward line was pouring pressure on the Thunder net, their goalie blocking all shots directed his way. The constant pressure paid off with a minute and a half left to play when the Gryphon's pulled ahead for good. The play was started once again by an excellent pinch by the defense who got the puck deep behind the net where Nate Taylor won a battle against the tired Thunder defense, fed the puck into the slot, where McNamee and Peyton Markwood wouldn't be denied, winning another battle, when Markwood finally got control of the puck in the slot, and while being knocked down, swept the puck into the back of the net behind a sprawled out defense and Thunder goalie.
The team returns to the ice on Saturday when they travel to Acton for a rematch with the Thunder.