GUELPH, Ont. – A pair of third period goals proved to be the difference as the Guelph Gryphons defeated the Western Mustangs by a 5-4 score on Thursday night at the Gryphon Centre.
The loss moves the Mustangs to 1-3-0 early in the season, while Guelph improves to 2-2-1.
The Gryphons took the lead midway through the final frame, scoring twice in less than a minute to go in front for good on goals from Mathieu Henderson and Marc Stevens.
Four different Mustangs scored in the loss, with
Trevor Warnaar,
Kolten Olynek,
Matt Watson, and
Spenser Cobbold all hitting the back of the net on Thursday night.
Warnaar was the first to get on the board against the Gryphons, scoring a little less than four minutes into the contest to give the Mustangs an early lead.
That lead wouldn't last long, however, as Nick Boyer answered back just two minutes later to tie things up at 1-1. The fast start continued at the eight-minute mark with Olynek converting an assist from
Rylan Ball to make it 2-1 for Western.
Despite both teams combining for just 15 shots, the second period would continue the rapid scoring pace of the first frame with three goals coming in a two-minute span near the midway point of the second.
Tryg Strand got the scoring started for the Gryphons off an assist from Henderson at 6:51 of the second before Watson put Western back in front at 3-2 just over 90 seconds later.
Todd Winder capped off a wild two-minute span with a goal at 8:51 to set the scoreboard at 3-3 heading into the final 20 minutes.
Just as they had in the first period, the Mustangs struck less than four minutes into the frame as Cobbold notched a power play goal off an assist from Kyle Petit to reinstate a one-goal lead for the purple and white.
Unfortunately for the Mustangs, the Gryphons would close things out with a pair of goals less than a minute apart midway through the period to take a 5-4 win.
Next up for Western is another road contest, with the Mustangs taking on the Brock Badgers on Saturday, October 28, at 7:15 p.m. in St. Catharines. Fans can tune in to all the action live on OUA.tv
