Halifax, NS – Sunday afternoon in Halifax, the Gryphons men's hockey team won 3-2 in overtime over the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) Patriotes to claim the bronze medal at the 2015 CIS Men's Hockey Championships. Kyle Neuber (Sarnia, ON) scored the overtime winner to give the Gryphons their sixth CIS medal in program history, and first since winning the University Cup in 1997.
 

   





















"See you at nationals." Those were the words uttered way back in December by Kirk Mock, the father of Gryphons forward Jordan Mock, moments before his son boarded a plane back to Ontario. Jordan, who was born and raised in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, had returned home during the Christmas break to be with his family, with his University hockey team sitting in dead last in the OUA standings. With Halifax playing host to the CIS Championships in March, the Mock family was hoping to get the opportunity to see Jordan play in his hometown. But with just three wins through their first 16 games of the season, there was not much hope for this Gryphons team. They needed a Christmas miracle. So, Jordan did the next logical thing. He, along with his younger brother Jeremy, bought some tickets to the University Cup for his parents, encouraging them to go that week anyways; not because Jordan anticipated playing in the tournament himself, but because "it would be some good hockey to go and watch." Low and behold, the Gryphons would win eight of their final 11 regular season games to squeak into the OUA playoffs as heavy underdogs. They would then go on to beat four straight higher-ranked teams to capture the school's first OUA title in nearly 20 years. And in the process, they would qualify for the nationals for the first time in 13 years. The Christmas miracle was now a reality. Kirk's words at the airport that December day had proved to be prophetic. Jordan was coming home.
 
The CIS bronze medal game would be a re-match of the 104^th Queen's Cup as the Gryphons met up with UQTR. Just as they had done in the OUA final, Guelph would open the scoring one minute into the game. Or so it appeared. Carlos Amestoy (Toronto, ON) jammed home a loose puck at the side of the net 1:09 into the opening period, but the goal was immediately waved off after the referee had lost sight of the puck and blown a quick whistle. Midway through the period, it would be UQTR who would open the scoring, but their 1-0 lead would not last long.  Just 21 seconds after that UQTR goal, Gryphons first year forward Scott Simmonds (Uxbridge, ON) answered with one of his own, fighting off a defender before getting a couple whacks in close to tie the game at 1-1. While there were not any more goals to speak of over the final 10 minutes of the opening period, there were plenty of chances at both ends, including several close calls for UQTR who hit the post on three different occasions. After 20 minutes of play however, the Gryphons and Patriotes were knotted at 1-1.
 
Five and a half minutes into the second period, UQTR would re-take the lead on a nice shot from Guillaume Asselin who would roof a shot just under the cross bar to beat Andrew D'Agostini to give the Patriotes a 2-1 lead. From the Gryphons perspective, the remainder of the second period was, in short, uninspiring. The Gryphons looked tired, both emotionally and physically, as UQTR dominated the majority of the play but were unable to stretch their lead any further heading to the final period. Generally speaking, when a team is playing uninspired, it is the job of the head coach to step in and get the players to re-focus and re-motivate. Gryphons head coach Shawn Camp did just that during the second intermission. After some spirited words from their coach during the break, Guelph came out looking like a different team in the third. 
 



















1:32 into the final period, the Gryphons would tie the game at 2-2 when a point shot from Nick Trecapelli was re-directed into the top corner by fellow defenceman Dan Broussard, who had pinched earlier in the shift and found himself in an unfamiliar position in front of the opposing team's net. For Broussard, who is in his final year with the Gryphons and in his second year as team captain, it was just his second goal of the entire season. Previously, Broussard had scored just once in 36 games played. Exactly four months after scoring his first, the captain had struck again in what was the final game of his university career. Thanks to the man wearing the 'C' – the Gryphons were back to playing inspired hockey.
 
They say you have to be lucky to be good and good to be lucky. At this point, the entire CIS has been made aware of just how good Gryphons rookie goalie Andrew D'Agostini is. In the third period, he got a bit of luck as well. After a shot trickled over his shoulder and down his back, the puck would come to rest just on the other side of the goal line. However, in an act of karma from what transpired early in the first period, the goal would be waved off after yet another early whistle from the referee who had lost sight of the puck. D'Agostini had done just enough. The game was still tied. The Gryphons and Patriotes would need overtime to determine who was going home with a CIS medal, and who was going home empty handed.

 

Prior to coming to the University of Guelph, 6-foot-3, 250 pound forward Kyle Neuber was best known for his physically intimidating presence on the ice. Now, in his second year with the Gryphons, Kyle is known for much more. The power forward has worked hard on his all-around game and the results speak for themselves. The penalty minutes are down (somewhat, he still led the team with 86) but the points are significantly up. During the regular season, Neuber finished fifth on the team in points with 19. 5:31 into the sudden death overtime period of Sunday's CIS bronze medal game, Neuber would score the winner. Something he would describe in the post-game press conference as "the biggest goal of my career." A mad scramble in front of the UQTR net would end with Kyle banging home his first goal of the tournament, sending Guelph to a 3-2 win. Kyle Neuber was named Guelph's Player of the Game. Andrew D'Agostini was named the top goalie at the tournament. The Gryphons magical 2015 playoff run had officially come to an end. For just the sixth time in school history, the Gryphons men's hockey team was able to capture a CIS medal. After having won just three times before Christmas, the Gryphons were now the number three team in the entire country.
 
The 2014-2015 season is one that will not be soon forgotten by any of the players on the Gryphons roster. But there is one player in particular who will not have to look very far in the future to be reminded of the Gryphons bronze medal performance in Halifax.


















Jordan Mock, the Nova Scotian-born accounting major who is set to graduate from U of G this spring, already has a job lined up back home at the KPMG building in downtown Halifax. Jordan will start as a staff accountant while pursuing his professional designation as a CPA (Chartered Professional Accountant). From his office window, Jordan will be able to see across the harbour to his hometown of Dartmouth. He will be able to see the Marriott Hotel (the host hotel where the Gryphons stayed during their week out East). He will also be able to see the Scotiabank Centre where his team's magical 2015 postseason run came to an end with a CIS bronze medal. He, like so many others who have followed this team, will not soon forget this unlikely playoff journey. In 2016, the CIS Men's Hockey Championships are once again set to be hosted in Halifax. While the Gryphons will lose several key players this off-season, including Jordan Mock, Nick Huard – the team's leading scorer, and Dan Broussard – the team captain, they will also return a large majority of key contributors to their roster for next season. With the OUA being the largest conference in Canada (20 teams), there is certainly no guarantee the Gryphons will be back at the CIS Championships in a year's time. But there are plenty of reasons to like their chances. So when Jordan is getting ready to board the plane this summer and leave his teammates behind to go start his career, he might be wise to borrow a phrase from his father. "See ya at nationals."

 

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