GUELPH, Ont. – Thirty-six saves from Scott Stajcer and goals from three different players helped the Guelph Gryphons hand the Western Mustangs a 3-2 loss on Thursday night at the Gryphon Centre.
 
Trent Ouellette and Jonathan Laser proved the offence for Western on the evening, with Connor Chartier and Luke Karaim picking up assists on Ouellette's marker. The Gryphons countered with a trio of goal scorers, with Scott Simmonds, Trevor Morbeck, and Robert Lepine each finding the back of the net.
 
Greg Dodds got the start in net for the Mustangs, turning aside 24 shots in the loss. Stacjer's 36 saves for Guelph represented the second-highest total of his OUA regular season career, and gives netminder a .963 save percentage through two games.
 
Despite being outshot 17-10 in the opening frame it was the Gryphons who were first on the board, with Simmonds scoring on a 2-on-1 just over five minutes into the period.
 
The Mustangs responded less than two minutes later, with Ouellette cashing in a rebound from the side of the net to tie things up at 1-1.
 
It would remain a tie game until midway through the second, when Morbeck broke the deadlock and retook the lead for the home side.
 
Guelph extended that lead to 3-1 less than a minute into the final period as Lepine picked up his second goal in as many games.
 
Western's offence would once again outshoot the Gryphons in the third, sending 14 shots towards the Guelph net. Those efforts paid off with seven minutes left in the contest, as Laser stepped out of the penalty box and kept the puck on the subsequent 2-on-0, before firing it past Stajcer to pull Western within one.
 
Despite a late push from the purple and white, the Gryphons were able to hold on and leave with a 3-2 win.
 
Next up for the Mustangs is a Saturday afternoon tilt with the Brock Badgers in St. Catharines. Game time is set for 3 p.m. at the Meridan Centre.