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Laurier Athletics - Waterloo Campus

Laurier men's hockey versus Guelph on December 2, 2021
Photo credit: Tim Harrison
2
Winner Guelph GPH
1
Laurier WLU
Winner
Guelph GPH
2
Final
1
Laurier WLU
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 F
Guelph GPH 0 1 1 2
Laurier WLU 0 1 0 1

Game Recap: Men's Ice Hockey | | Levi Wild

MHOCK end 2021 with a loss to Guelph

WATERLOO, Ont. - The Laurier Golden Hawks scored first but a pair of Guelph goals in response was all the Gryphons needed in a 2-1 win at the Waterloo Memorial Rec Complex on Thursday night.

The loss was Laurier's fourth straight despite outshooting each of their opponents in that span. The final shots were 35-24 in favour of the Golden Hawks, but they faced a hot goalie again.

To close off 2021, the Waterloo Wolves minor hockey team was in attendance, and they were treated to a clinic on defence and goaltending in this game. In the middle of the first period, Jake Payette (Caledon, Ont.) put his body on the line to stop a chance from a Guelph 3-on-2.
In the first, the Golden Hawks ran into a decisive Guelph penalty kill as Laurier drew two penalties in the period but had no real scoring chances. The Gryphons managed the best opportunity with a shorthanded 2-on-1, which Christian Propp (Burlington, Ont.) promptly denied and squeezed tight for a whistle.
A few minutes after the first highlight stop, Propp followed it up with a seemingly effortless backdoor stop on a beautiful passing play from another Guelph 3-on-2.
Laurier came out of the first 20 minutes with a 16-6 lead in shots, but Guelph was not without quality scoring chances. Each team was going back and forth, and the goaltenders were putting on a show.

Early in the second, Bair Gendunov (Toronto, Ont.) sprung Patrick Brown (Midland, Ont.) and Matt McJannet (Courtice, Ont.) on a 2-on-1 which the two executed to perfection as McJannet picked up his second goal of the season and team-leading sixth point.
 
Propp completed the hat-trick of highlight saves with a windmill in the middle of the frame.
However, the fun wouldn't last long as Guelph maintained the pressure. It was only a matter of time before one of their chances went in. Giordano Finoro (Guelph, Ont.) found a streaking Nick Isaacson (Oakville, Ont.) who lasered it home to tie the game.

Emotions began to boil over after the Guelph goal. After the whistle, a Laurier tripping penalty late in the second was followed0 by coincidental roughing calls.

The Golden Hawks killed off the penalty with ease as 42 seconds spilled over into the third period. It was either team's game at this point, as neither had tilted the ice in their favour.

A few minutes in, Laurier was on its way to another power-play when a slash after the whistle by Justyn Gurney (North Delta, BC) negated the opportunity. Then, under two minutes later, Sullivan Sparkes (Waterloo, Ont.) was caught with a trip as soon as he stepped on the ice. 

Thankfully, Laurier's penalty-kill fended off another attack from Guelph.

However, with just over six minutes to go in the game, McJannet took another Laurier tripping penalty, and Guelph would make them pay this time. The Gryphons called a time out Lucas Chiodo (Aurora, Ont.) found  Finoro parked in front for the tip between the legs of Propp.

Just over a minute later, Guelph would gift Laurier another opportunity on the power-play as the Golden Hawks were held in the corner. But once again, the Laurier special teams couldn't get anything set up in the offensive zone.

The Golden Hawks maintained a full press for the dying minutes of the third, including pulling their goalie with over a minute to play. With the extra attacker, Laurier created a couple of excellent chances; one went backdoor to an open net but could not be tucked in to seal the deal.

Laurier's record now stands at 2-5-0 on the season. However, the Golden Hawks will look to turn the ship around in the new year, starting with special teams. 

After the game, head coach Greg Puhalski commented how his team needs "to use our special teams to build momentum in a positive direction."

"I enjoy the compete level on our team. That has to be our number one positive to take out of these first seven games."

Players of the Game
Laurier
G Christian Propp
In his fourth start of the season, Propp made multiple highlight-reel saves to keep the game close while posting his second-best save percentage of the season (.917).

Guelph
C Giordano Finoro (Guelph, Ont.)
He led the Griffins offensively in the game with an assist on the tying goal and the game-winning goal on the power-play.


Next Up
The team is off for the holiday break and will be back in action on December 30 for an exhibition game in Toronto against the Varsity Blues. 

The regular season will continue in the new year against Windsor for back-to-back games on the road on January 7 and 8. Laurier losttheir only previous match-up so far this season, 5-4 n November 13. 

Catch the action live at OUA.tv

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