Feb 04, 2024 | Duncan Bates | 110 views
U15 Gryphons Enter February with Two Tough Losses
The U15 Gryphons team enters February on a two game slide at the hands of Lawfield Thunder with a tough opponent waiting for our arrival.
The U15 Gryphons faced off against Lawfield Thunder on Friday, January 26 in Lawfield. A shorter bench meant two forwards were playing defence, both put in an amazing effort but it wasn't enough to overcome a underwhelming effort from the broader team. Goals from Bailey and Lever and a pair from Williams kept the score close but it wasn't enough to come out with a win over a Lawfield team built around speed. With the game over and a 5-4 loss to take to the room, the boys knew what lay ahead of them and an opportunity to make up for the loss with a stronger outing.
February 2 brought about the rematch the Gryphons had been hoping for and an opportunity to turn the table against a beatable team. A short pre-game chat focussed on staying out of the penalty box and drilling down on Gryphons hockey and was enough to send the team out to the ice with focus and intention. Unfortunately, a quick succession of penalties set the tone for the game resulting in lengthy short-handed situations for the duration of all 3 periods. While the team presented an incredible effort and pushed really hard, it wasn't enough to avoid falling behind given the amount of time being short-handed. Frustration began to build amongst the team with the officiating and really unfortunate taunting from Lawfield parents, ending with a pair of thunderous hits from Bates and Harrison which of course sent the team back to the box continuing the penalty parade. Goals from Vanderwoerd, Williams and Hanna kept us in the battle but not enough to correct course from the previous loss and establishing the team's first two game losing streak in 2024. The team is grateful to the parents who took a moment to have a chat with the Lawfield parents and clarify expectations in our arena.
With Waterloo on the horizon, the Gryphons will need to spend the week ahead tuning into the type of gameplay that was so successful for them through 2023. Their effort is incredible, their intent is undeniable, they need a collective focus to stitch it all together and come out on top.
Let's Go Gryphons!