M-HOCKEY ROUNDUP: Gryphons help playoff hopes with 5-2 win over Mustangs
Thursday, February 5
Western 2 @ Guelph 5
Guelph, ON - The Gryphons men's hockey team took a huge step towards securing a playoff spot on Thursday night with a 5-2 win over the Western Mustangs. Gryphons second year forward Robert De Fulviis recorded a hat trick to help the Gryphons improve to 10-13-3 while the Mustangs fall to 18-7-1. The Gryphons now sit sixth in the OUA West standings with 23 points with one game remaining on the regular season schedule.
The Gryphons were able to open the scoring just over two minutes into the game thanks to a beautiful re-direction from Carlos Amestoy, his ninth goal of the season. The goal also extended Amestoy's point streak to an impressive eight games. That would prove to be the only goal of the opening period as the Gryphons took a 1-0 lead into the second. A penalty to the Gryphons late in that first period meant the Mustangs would start the second on the power play. Just 11 seconds into the second period, Western would come through on the man advantage as fifth year defenceman Matt Paltridge would tie the game at 1-1. It would not stay that way for long however, as the Gryphons would quickly re-take the lead. Seth Swenson, who was the hero in Guelph's dramatic double overtime victory in Thunder Bay on Saturday, would score for a second straight game, snapping home his fifth of the season to make it 2-1. Swenson, who only joined the Gryphons in January after recovering from off-season shoulder surgery, now has 10 points in 10 games played in his rookie season at Guelph.
The Gryphons would extend their lead to 3-1 later in the period thanks to a clever re-direct home from Robert De Fulviis, his 10th goal of the season to put the Gryphons up two. Overall, it was a dominant second period by the Gryphons who, if not for several great saves by Mustangs goalie Greg Dodds, could have easily led by three or four goals. Instead, it would end up being the Mustangs who would be rewarded at the other end of the ice. With just over a minute remaining in the period, Western's fifth year captain Steve Reese would make it a one goal game, going skate-to-stick in close and jamming it home. The Gryphons were immediately asking for the goal to be waved off, claiming it was kicked in by Reese. But the goal would stand as the Gryphons would have to settle for a slim 3-2 lead heading into the final period.
Early in the final period, De Fulviis would score his second of the night after the Mustangs were guilty of committing a careless turnover deep in their own end. With De Fulviis' 11th goal of the season, the Gryphons lead was up to 4-2. With around three minutes remaining, the Mustangs would take a pair of penalties to essentially erase any hopes of a comeback. Western would pull the goalie late, just to get back to even strength. De Fulviis would complete the hat trick by scoring an empty netter with six seconds left in regulation as the Gryphons would go on to win 5-2.
Up next for the Gryphons, a matchup with the Waterloo Warriors (16-7-2) on Saturday night at the Gryphon Centre. That is the final game on the regular season schedule for both teams. Puck drop is set for 7:30pm.
Source: Guelph Gryphons
Other Scores: York 3 @ Ryerson 7
