A solid comeback for the Gryphons
This game did not start well. Within 10 seconds, Halton had streaked in and buried their first. Soon after, though, Nolan S. fired one at the Thunder Keep, who kicked out a long rebound to Olin, who buried it, 1-1. Halton then picked up a couple more goals, as end-to-end action kept the fans on the edge of our seats, and we were facing the end of the period down 3-1. Nolan S and Olin stepped it up again, as Nolan passed one cross pocket to Olin, who fired high under the bar - the keeper just got enough to tip it over the net, but chasing it down, Olin laid a big hit to free the puck for Nolan S. who passed it out from behind the net to a quick moving Olin, and he buried it. 3-2 into the second.
The second was a better start for Guelph, as they started putting the pressure on, while Sergio fired up flashing the leather and skates to kick away Halton attacks. In the Thunder end, Cam fought hard for the puck on the right boards, passed it in front of the net, where it ended up on Ty’s streaking stick; he fired it and Seba was there for the tap in rebound. 3-3. After that, Guelph poured on pressure and there was about 4-5 minutes straight where the puck barely made it out of Halton’s end, with Nolan B. running the Thunder blue line, chasing down pucks from mid ice to the boards, and firing them on net, causing the keeper’s BPM to peak at heights. Towards the end of the period Ty jumped on a puck at Guelph blue line, streaked in towards net, dropped it for Olin who fired it, almost decapitating the keeper, and Nolan S. was there to smash the rebound home. 4-3 Guelph. In an example of you have to shoot to score, Max launched one on net, that took a Grim bounce in front of the net, and popped over the keeper’s glove. 5-3 Guelph to end the 2nd!
The third started with Benny playing a strong game in Guelph’s end, keeping Halton players from crossing the circles, and moving the puck with eyes, up the boards on the wingers sticks. Will picked up one of these, danced inside the Thunder line, and after a nifty couple of moves to keep control, he fired one on net that Gareth screened nicely, but the keeper just got a piece of it. Halton got a few lucky breaks and the fortune of some mis-timed Guelph plays, and got up to 5-5. But a few moments later, Gareth tried to shoot one through Jesse, who just ducked in time, as the keeper knocked it high over the net. The ensuing scramble down ice towards Guelph’s end saw Gareth pick the puck off of a pass that went off Jesse’s but, Gareth fought and pushed and fought again to get it to the Halton blue line, Jesse picked it up and buried it right through the middle of the net. 6-5, and after a tense few closing moments, with an empty net up ice, Guelph gets the win! Great work by Malin and Tanner on the call-up.
-PL