For their 12th game of the Ontario University Athletics season, the Waterloo Warriors hosted the Guelph Gryphons at the Columbia Icefield on Nov. 18. The Warriors lost the matchup 3–2 to the Gryphons, who sit last in the OUA Western division. Currently, the Warriors are seventh out of 10 teams in the West, with four wins, seven losses, and one game lost in overtime. The game between the Warriors and Gryphons was a tough match for UW, who could only convert during the powerplay and lost in overtime.
The game started with some rougher plays by the Warriors. The first penalty of the game came for Alex Grits — a holding offense which gave the Gryphons the first of five power plays in the first period. Although Guelph was unable to score during any of the power plays, it meant the Warriors had one fewer player for 10 minutes of the first period, giving Guelph a significant advantage. However, good defensive strategy by the Warriors made offensive plays difficult for the Gryphons, who struggled to find the goal. Even with the penalties, the Warriors’ goaltender, Dan Murphy, made sure no shot went through.
The Warriors opened scoring for the night, with Dan Walker scoring the first goal of five for the night, assisted by Connor Lovie and Andrew Cordssen-David. The goal came 13 minutes into the game, after Guelph’s Luke Bignell was awarded a minor penalty for cross-checking. The Warriors took advantage of the penalty, scoring on ice and converting one of the eight shots of the second period. Unfortunately, Luke Kutkevicius equalized within four minutes, sending both teams to the locker rooms with the game tied 1–1. His goal arrived 17 minutes in, assisted by Ted McGeen and Liam Ham. Shortly after the goal, Gavin Wood of the Warriors, got a minor penalty for slashing.
The third period started with Anthony Tabak and Giordano Biondi both getting a minor penalty for high sticking, granting the Warriors a power play. As the third period progressed, it was Jacob Winterton who scored for the Gryphons, giving them the lead with less than 10 minutes remaining. He was assisted by goal scorer Kutkevicius and Liam Ham. With time running out, the Warriors picked up the pace, with more breakout passes. With under five minutes remaining, Liam Ham and Tristan De Jong of the Gryphons both got minor penalties, freeing up Dan Walker again. Within a minute of the penalty, Dan Walker equalized the second goal, assisted again by Lovie and Cordssen-David. The Warriors held onto hope with just three minutes and 13 seconds on the clock. As the period came to an end, players from both teams huddled and got ready for overtime.
In overtime, Jack Phibbs of the Warriors picked up a minor penalty for hooking, giving a powerplay to the Gryphons. After the end of the powerplay, the Gryphons got into some good spaces, not allowing the Warriors to gain possession in key areas. Although Dan Murphy did his best to ensure the Gryphons did not put another point on the board, the team converted one of their shots into a goal, defeating the Waterloo Warriors at CIF.
The Warriors also played the Brock Badgers on Nov. 19, a team that is currently second in the Western division of Ontario University Athletics. The game ended in a 1–5 loss for the Warriors, who lost the game at Saint Catharine’s. The Warriors face Laurier’s Golden Hawks next on Nov. 24. If the Warriors can win against the Hawks, they will place fifth or sixth in the Western division.
