LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – The Guelph Gryphons men's hockey team was a tough group to beat on the road this season. And that comfort level away from home could be an important recipe for success as the No. 4-seeded Gryphons make the trek out West to compete in the 2019 U SPORTS Cavendish Farms University Cup.
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Guelph returns to the national stage for the first time since 2015, when the team was crowned OUA champions and earned a U SPORTS bronze medal after a 3-2 overtime win over UQTR for the school's sixth ever men's hockey medal.
The ENMAX Centre in Lethbridge, Alberta will host the 2019 University Cup
The Gryphons will face the No. 5-seeded Saskatchewan Huskies in their tournament opener on Thursday, March 14 (3pm ET) at the ENMAX Centre, home of the Western Hockey league's Lethbridge Hurricanes.
There are some similarities between that 2015 edition of the Gryphons and this year's team. While the current fifth-year veterans like captain Scott Simmonds, D-men Reilly O'Connor and Mark Raycroft, and forwards Seth Swenson, Tryg Strand, Andres Kopstals and Michael Stevens were just wide-eyed rookies back then, the teams took similar paths. There were struggles early in the regular season but momentum built until both the 2015 and 2019 squads were at their best in the playoffs, each winning two decisive Game 3s on the road.
While Guelph was unable to hoist the Queen's Cup after a 4-1 loss to the Queen's Gaels last Saturday in Kingston, the team goes to the 2019 U SPORTS Cavendish Farms University Cup knowing it is fully capable of pulling off big results.
The Gryphons took home bronze at their last trip to nationals (2014-15 in Halifax)
The Gryphons were winners in three straight OUA playoff series because they, as head coach Shawn Camp put it, stuck to the plan. Guelph showed belief and skill throughout its postseason run, getting huge goals from the likes of Simmonds and the OUA playoffs scoring leader Mikkel Aagaard, while relying on second-year goaltender Andrew Masters (6-3 record) to make the big save when needed.
The Gryphons will face a tough test in their national quarter-final, with the Saskatchewan Huskies recording a program-best 25 wins during the regular season, propelling them to their 20th appearance in the national championship tournament.
The Gryphons, who are making their 10th appearance at nationals, have only been crowned national champions once in program history when the team won it all in 1997. The 2018-19 edition of the Gryphons, who have found the proper blend among its several experienced veterans and dynamic young talent, will do everything it can to earn another.
Catch all the 2019 U SPORTS Cavendish Farms University Cup action on USPORTS.LIVE.
GUELPH GRYPHONS IN THE U SPORTS DAVID JOHNSTON UNIVERSITY CUP
TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES (10): 1975-76, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1996-97, 2001-02, 2014-15, 2018-19
U SPORTS CHAMPIONSHIPS (1): 1996-97
2ND PLACE FINISHES (3): 1975-76, 1993-94, 1994-95
3RD PLACE FINISHES (2): 1992-93, 2014-15
4TH PLACE FINISHES (0): ---
5TH PLACE FINISHES (3): 1978-79, 1979-80, 2001-02
7TH PLACE FINISHES (0): ----
