Game 1 Home to Pickering Panthers
Game 2 @ Toronto Aeros
There were a lot of goals here, so they may not all be accounted for in this story!
Game 1 Home to Pickering Panthers
The Gryphons came out of the gate firing. Seba won the puck over to Cam, who dropped it back to Nolan B on the blue line for a slapper that hit the keeper’s water bottle quickly. The next goal came from a shot the goalie thought he had covered, but Gareth found it out in the open and knocked it in. Max followed that one up, picking the puck up out of the corner, circling out, and firing it off the goalie’s shoulder and in. The refs gave the Panthers their only hope on the night: Sergio made a save on a Panthers shot, the whistle blew, Sergio released the puck, and the Panthers player was there to tap in the non-live puck… not sure how that one counted… 3-1 at the end of 1.
The second started with Nolan S pulling out his best moves around the D, and putting the puck in high over the keeper’s glove. Ty followed that up with a patient move around the back of the net, back in front, and lifted the puck over the keeper’s pads from inches in front of them (very difficult to do!). Jessie also showed off some patience, stepping around the D and holding on to cross the net and bury it on the right side, as the goalie sprawled. Ty finished off the scoring for the game with a shot from the left side, uncontested by the Panthers D. 7-1 after 2. The third period was a passing and puck handling practice for the Gryphons.
Game 2 Away at Toronto Aeros
Different game, same start... Ty potted the first (your writer was looking away). Following that, Seba pulled a puck down in front of the net and tapped it in. Another goal came from a beauty pass from Nolan, cross ice to Ty, who buried the puck from the open wing. Evan had a smart shot from the point for goal four. And the fifth goal of the first period… yes, of the first… was a shot in tight from Nolan S, which the goalie got a piece of with his shoulder, but it rolled up and down into the net. In the second, Nolan fired a pass across the net to Ty… well… that was his intention… but Nolan couldn’t stop scoring today, and the pass was redirected behind the keeper.
The second ended with a gentleman’s tap between the Keepers… Parker recognizing that the Aeros goalie was working hard, and was gassed by all the Gryphons shots.
The third became more stickhandling, cycling and passing practice, but sometimes the Gryphons had to shoot too. Jason had a laser from in close, hitting crossbar, back beam, and inside ice. Jesse made a nice pass out to Gareth, in front of the net, who tapped it in. Nolan S danced his way in for a water bottle goal, and Jason made a beauty pass across to Cam who made no mistake. Goals nine and ten were nice shots by Gryphs players, someone (I’ll fill it in if I find out) and Ty… but by this time the Aeros were not even contesting Gryphon players.
Here’s to hoping Saturday evening’s game is a good one.
-PL