Despite falling 1-0 in the first period, the Gryphons rallied for a gritty 2-1 victory over the Golden Hawks
On Wednesday, Oct. 8, the Gryphons women’s hockey team took on the Laurier Golden Hawks in the second annual Aggies Night game. The team took the ice, donning custom Aggies apparel, determined to make a statement in their season opener.
Midway through the first period, Guelph found themselves shorthanded after an interference penalty. With just 30 seconds left in the penalty kill, a shot from the blue line was tipped by Golden Hawks forward Abbie Landon and snuck past the Gryphons goalie Sophie Helfenstein.
During the latter half of the first period, Guelph managed to sustain a fair amount of pressure and seemed poised to even the score. A couple of great chances came late in the period, with the Gryphons beating Laurier’s goalie Sarah Howell on one occasion, only to have the puck ring off the top corner of the post.
As the second period opened, Guelph seemed to be the better team despite still facing a one-goal deficit. A tripping penalty called against the Golden Hawks put the Gryphons on the power play early in the second period. This opportunity came and went, as Guelph was unable to register a shot on net.
Undeterred, a slew of good chances came Guelph’s way, only to be met with a handful of saves from Howell. With seven minutes left in the second period, Guelph was again awarded a power play. This time, a shot by Reece Coffey found its way to the back of the net, beating Howell low on the blocker side.
The third period opened quickly, with Gryphons forward Alexie Olivier breaking out of the neutral zone and burying one top-shelf, just over Howell’s shoulder. Guelph managed to retain this lead for the remainder of the third period, holding off a strong push by Laurier.
In the final minutes of the game, Guelph found themselves again on the penalty kill, and this time—after pulling their goalie—Laurier had a two-player advantage. In the closing moments, the Gryphons dove and crouched in front of the Laurier onslaught, blocking multiple shots to secure a 2-1 win over the Golden Hawks in their season opener.
Helfenstein finished the game with a save percentage of .944, stopping 17 of Laurier’s 18 shots on net. Coffey and Olivier each scored once in the victory, with Olivier scoring the game-winner. Additionally, Kara Den Hoed, Katelyn Dance, Kaitlyn McKenna and Brielle Caruso each left the game with one assist each. It was a disciplined, hard-fought performance and a strong way to begin the season.