February 22, 2016

Lepine scores Game 3 OT-winner as Gryphons eliminate Lancers

GUELPH, ON - For a second straight season, the Gryphons men's hockey team has eliminated the Windsor Lancers from the postseason. Last year, the Gryphons swept their playoff series versus Windsor in two straight games. This time around, the Gryphons needed overtime in a decisive Game 3 showdown to get past the Lancers after what was a hard-fought, entertaining series that ended with a 3-2 OT victory for the Gryphs Sunday night on home ice. Rookie forward Robert Lepine scored twice, including the game-winner, as the No. 4-seeded Gryphons will now face the No. 6-seeded Ryerson Rams in the OUA West Semi-finals.

Guelph

Windsor

Final

Guelph

Windsor

Guelph

Windsor

Final

Guelph

Windsor

GUELPH, ON - For a second straight season, the Gryphons men's hockey team has eliminated the Windsor Lancers from the postseason. Last year, the Gryphons swept their playoff series versus Windsor in two straight games. This time around, the Gryphons needed overtime in a decisive Game 3 showdown to get past the Lancers after what was a hard-fought, entertaining series that ended with a 3-2 OT victory for the Gryphs Sunday night on home ice. Rookie forward Robert Lepine scored twice, including the game-winner, as the No. 4-seeded Gryphons will now face the No. 6-seeded Ryerson Rams in the OUA West Semi-finals.

At the 10:55 mark of the extra frame, Lepine buried his second goal of the night high over the glove of Windsor goalie Michael Doan. Fellow Gryphon rookie Cody Thompson set up the winner after slowing down the play on the right wing and finding a streaking Lepine. It was the fourth point of the series for Lepine who also had two helpers in the opening game of the best-of-three first-round series. Seth Swenson notched the secondary assist on Lepine's overtime goal.

With the Gryphons down 2-1 and on the man advantage midway through the second period, the rookie left winger from Mississauga sent a similar cross-ice pass that led to a goal. But that time it was to the stick of fellow rookie Dylan Gilbert, who blasted a one timer on net and Scott Simmonds buried the rebound for his second goal of the postseason.

Lepine's game winner was the only goal scored at even strength all game. Each team converted twice on four power-play opportunities. Lepine's first goal also went over Doan's glove after he came in off the half wall and whistled a quick shot off. That marker, assisted by captain Nick Trecapelli, put Guelph up 1-0 early in the game, but power-play goals four minutes apart by Justice Dundas and Tyson Ness midway through the first period put the Lancers up for 17 minutes, until Simmonds' game-tying goal.

Guelph played with desparation the whole game, and you could tell their netminder Andrew D'Agostini, who is in his final season at U of G, wasn't ready to end his time as a Gryphon quite yet. With the game tied 2-2, D'Agostini robbed Windsor forward Dylan Denomme on a breakaway in the third period to preserve the tie and send the game into overtime.

The Gryphons will be back in action for their next series mid-week. For details, visit gryphons.ca.