GUELPH, Ont. - The Guelph Gryphons women's hockey team opened the 2024 McCaw Cup playoffs with a convincing victory over the Windsor Lancers, taking game one of their best-of-three series 3-0. For a second consecutive season the Gryphons faced off with the Lancers in a matchup between the No. 1 and No. 4-seeds in the OUA West. Unlike last season however, the Gryphons were able to take the series lead thanks to a pair of goals from captain Hannah Tait and some outstanding goaltending from Martina Fedel. 

After having faced off with Windsor in each of the final two games of the regular season, the Gryphons knew it was going to take a relentless offensive effort to come up with the win Friday night. That effort began as soon as the puck dropped in the Gryphon Centre, with the Gryphons immediately peppering Lancer goaltender Kristen Swiatoschik with shots on goal. The Lancers were out-shot 14-7 in the opening period, which followed back-to-back 40-shot efforts from the Gryphons in their last two meetings. Despite her best efforts, Swiatoschik was only able to keep the Gryphons off the scoreboard for so long, as 8:34 into the opening frame Tori Verbeek found Hannah Tait streaking in down the wing for the team's first postseason goal of 2024. Jaime Magoffin picked up the secondary assist for another combination between the Gryphons top line which combined for 70 points in the regular season. 

The second period would see a much more balanced attack from the two teams, with each the recipient of quality scoring chances. The two goaltenders would stand on their heads though, trading big save after big save. For Gryphon goalie Martina Fedel, the second was her busiest period of the night, facing 10 shots and turning aside all 10. Her biggest save of the game came late in the period when she made a miraculous left-pad save on Windsor's Elissa Benjamin to maintain the U of G lead. Fedel would go on to finish the game with 20 saves for her 6th shutout of the season and 2nd career postseason shutout. 

The third period saw the Gryphons get back on the gas pedal, putting the pressure on the trailing Lancers. Their pressure was quickly rewarded as just 1:27 into the frame Maeve Sutherland-Case worked her way in tight for a sharp-angle shot which went up and over the shoulder of Swiatoschik, doubling the Gryphon lead. After maintaining control over the remainder of the third, Hannah Tait would bury an empty-netter to seal the game one victory with her second of the night.

The Gryphons will now head to Windsor for game two of their quarterfinal series Friday night, looking to advance to the semifinals with a win. Puck drop for game two is set for 7:30pm at the Capri Pizzeria Recreation Centre and can be viewed live online at oua.tv.