The Guelph Gryphons earned a split of their weekend series against the No. 4 Lakehead Thunderwolves with a 6-5 win Sunday afternoon at the Gryphon Centre Arena in Guelph. The loss puts Lakehead's record to 14-6 in OUA play and 19-10-2 overall. Guelph's record now stands at 6-13-1 in OUA play and 8-17-1 overall.
The game was amuch faster and wide open one than Saturday night's with Guelph fighting hard for their playoff lives. Guelph goaltender Ken Ritson was Guelph's star of the game, turning aside 40 of 45 Lakehead shots. Guelph was led offensively by Darrell Cowen with two goals and an assist and Clayton Carson played a second strong game for the Gryphons adding three assists. Both Ritson and Carson are Thunder Bay natives, so perhaps that was added incentive while playing against the Thunder Bay based Thunderwolves. Lakehead's Chris Shaffer scored two shorthanded goals while Shawn Perring added a goal and an assist. Lakehead was playing without star forward Jeff Richards who was injured in Saturday's game.
The first period was very fast, featuring back and forth action. Guelph's Steve Morris opened the game with a good chance on Lakehead goalie Grant McCune that McCune had to be sharp on. Lakehead then went up the ice and Guelph goalie Ken Ritson had to make a nice stop off Lakehead's Hugo Lehoux. Ritson quickly followed up with a great save off Lakehead's Leon Cooper. Lakehead's McCune made a great glove save off Guelph's Ben Pilon who broke in alone on a breakaway. Trevor Trussler made it 1-0 for Guelph when he bounce a shot in off a Lakehead defender at 5:17, with assists going to Craig Buttar and Darrell Cowen. Lakehead then took control of the play for the rest of the period. Lakehead's Chris Shaffer tied it up with a shorthanded goal at 12:33, breaking in on Ritson on a breakaway and beating him with a good shot. Shawn Perring made it 2-1 Lakehead when he beat Ritson with a hard wrist shot from the slot at 19:36, assisted by Erik Lodge.
The second period saw Guelph come out on fire and take the play to Lakehead. Darrell Cowen tied the score for Guelph at 2:10, assisted by Trussler and Pilon. Then, Steve Morris made it 3-2 Guelph at 4:20, set up by a nice individual effort by Clayton Carson. Both teams had some good chances through the middle stretch of the second, with both goaltenders playing solidly. Lakehead's Shaffer then scored his second shorthanded breakaway goal of the game at 13:14 to tie the game at three apiece. Marc Boisvert quickly gave the lead back to Guelph at 15:21, when he beat McCune glovehand side with a quick shot.
The scoring continued in the third. Lakehead tied it up quickly at the beginning of the period when Craig Priestlay scored on the powerplay at 2:47. But, Guelph's Boisvert gave the Gryphons the lead again at 3:17, when he knocked in a rebound off a shot by Clayton Carson. Guelph's Cowen made it 6-4 at 7:13 when he broke in on a breakaway to beat McCune. Lakehead's Murray Magill made it 6-5 at 10:35, when he knocked in a beautiful pass from Robert Hillier. From this point on, Lakehead bombarded Guelph goaltender Ritson but he was up to the task, including an incredible glove save off Chris Shaffer. Guelph took another minor with three minutes left but Lakehead again couldn't capitalize and get the equalizer. Lakehead then pulled McCune with 1:20 left. The Thunderwolves applied non-stop pressure and came very close but Ritson made a flurry of great saves to seal the victory for the Gryphons. Lakehead outshot Guelph 45-19 in the game.