GUELPH, Ont. – The Guelph Gryphons women's hockey team has always shown the ability to dig deep when necessary. They Gryphons did it again on home ice with important points on the line Wednesday night. Guelph erupted for four third-period goals to skate past the York Lions 4-1 at Gryphon Centre Arena.
 
Fourth-year forward Miranda Lantz scored twice, while Karli Shell and captain Kaitlin Lowy added a goal apiece for the Gryphons. Third-year goaltender Aurore Beaulieu got the start in net and made 26 saves.
 
After a couple uneventful periods, Guelph came out of the intermission looking like a new team. Shell got the all-important equalizer when she retrieved the puck behind the Lions' net and wrapped it around and through Lauren Dubie's five-hole just 1:39 into the third period. Just over two minutes later, Kristen Jay (two assists) cruised took the puck in her own zone, cruised down the left wing and drew a couple York defenders before dropping a pass into the slot, which Lantz deposited past Dubie for the Gryphons' first lead.
 
Lantz, a Sociology major from Mildmay, ON, registered her second of the night on a shot that beat Dubie on the blocker side at 15:44 of the third, essentially locking up the win for the OUA leaders. But they weren't done. Lowy would a fourth on a fantastic individual effort when she fought off three York defenders and sent a backhander into the empty cage.
 
York drew first blood at 16:15 of the opening period when Courtney Gardiner pounced on a rebound and roofed one top shelf past Beaulieu. Guelph had opportunities to get back in it as the Lions took a few consecutive penalties but the hosts' power-play unit stalled, going 0-for-5 through the first two periods of play.

Beaulieu was sharp after conceding the first-period goal. She played particularly well in making 11 saves in the second to keep the team close.
 
The Gryphons have won seven of the past 10 games and sit atop the OUA with 37 points, three ahead of second-place Western. Guelph also paces the OUA in goals for with 56 and fewest allowed with just 23 against through 16 games.


Gryphon Take
"York gave us everything we thought they were going to give us in the first couple periods and our response wasn't great. But Aurore kept us in it long enough and we found our energy in the third. This happens against York. I went back over the past couple years and every game but one against them, we've had to come back. It's also been the story of our season. The further we go, teams won't give us that. The players are very well aware of this. It was nice to see that the scoring is coming from everybody. And we've been getting good goaltending." – head coach Rachel Flanagan

  
The Record
Guelph is 11-2-1-2.

 
Next up
Laurier, Saturday, Jan. 19, 2 pm @ Gryphon Centre Arena