February 25, 2016

Gryphons escape Sudbury with OT victory in Game 1 the McCaw Cup quarter-finals

SUDBURY, ON - Thanks to some sloppy weather conditions, the bus ride from U of G to Sudbury on Wednesday was a long one for the Gryphons women's hockey team as they made their way north for the opening game of their best-of-three OUA Quarter-final series with Laurentian. If not for a tying goal in the third period and a subsequent overtime winner, the ride home would have seemed even longer. In the end however, the Gryphons left Sudbury with the result they were looking for after winning 2-1 in OT over the Laurentian Voyageurs on Wednesday night at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex. Christine Grant scored the tying goal and assisted on the OT-winner which was scored by Claire Merrick. The Gryphons will now look to close out the best-of-three opening round series on Saturday (Feb. 27) when they host Laurentian for Game 2.

Laurentian

Guelph

Final

Laurentian

Guelph

SUDBURY, ON - Thanks to some sloppy weather conditions, the bus ride from U of G to Sudbury on Wednesday was a long one for the Gryphons women's hockey team as they made their way north for the opening game of their best-of-three OUA Quarter-final series with Laurentian. If not for a tying goal in the third period and a subsequent overtime winner, the ride home would have seemed even longer. In the end however, the Gryphons left Sudbury with the result they were looking for after winning 2-1 in OT over the Laurentian Voyageurs on Wednesday night at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex. Christine Grant scored the tying goal and assisted on the OT-winner which was scored by Claire Merrick. The Gryphons will now look to close out the best-of-three opening round series on Saturday (Feb. 27) when they host Laurentian for Game 2.

The Gryphons had been in this situation before. Literally. When these two teams met earlier this season in Sudbury, the Gryphons also needed overtime to get past the Voyageurs that day. From the very beginning, it was clear that the Gryphons were once again in for a tough game. Despite the fact that Laurentian entered into the playoffs with a .500 record (11-11-2), they came out flying and were able to open the scoring late in the first with a power play goal. A fluttering shot from Laurentian's Emma Leger hit Gryphons goalie Valerie Lamenta in the mask. Not able to immediately locate the puck, Lamenta dropped into the butterfly position and in the process accidentally slid the puck into her own net. With that bit of fortune, the Voyageurs were off to a 1-0 lead. It would be Lamenta's only blemish in what was otherwise another outstanding performance from the Gryphons sophomore sensation.

Lamenta made 26 saves on the night including several high quality stops from point blank range during the first two periods in which Laurentian was able to apply a lot of pressure in the Guelph end. Despite the fact that the Gryphons had managed to produce 26 shots on net themselves through the first two periods of play, they still found themselves trailing 1-0 heading to the third. The team needed a spark at the offensive end. Fourth year forward Christine Grant would provide it. 3:45 into the final period of play, Grant would tie the game at 1-1 by going five-hole on Laurentian goalie Emily Toffoli. It would prove to be a bit of foreshadowing as the Gryphons and Voyageurs went into OT tied at a goal apiece with an eerily similar sequence about to take place.

Just over five minutes into the extra frame, Grant would once again be sent in alone, and once again she would go five-hole on Toffoli. This time however, Grant's shot beat the goalie, but not the post. After sliding the puck through Toffoli's legs, the puck hit the post and came to a stop on the doorstep of the crease. Gryphons rookie winger Claire Merrick (Oakville, ON) would be the first to pounce on the loose puck and pot the game-winner to lift the Gryphons to the 2-1 victory. For head coach Rachel Flanagan, it was a satisfying victory for a game that was closer than many would have predicted, "We knew we were coming into a tough game after a long trip. We're proud of the girls for not panicking when were down a goal. We never stopped working, we were patient, and finally...it came to us."

The top seeded Gryphons will now look to eliminate the No. 8-seeded Voyageurs and move on to the OUA Semi-finals when the two teams drop the puck for Game 2 on Saturday afternoon in Guelph. Tickets are available online.

NOTE:

Wednesday night's game marked the first playoff game in program history for the Laurentian Women's hockey team. The program is in just its third year of existence.