February 25, 2017

Davison's late goal helps Gryphons sweep Lancers

WINDSOR, ON – The defending McCaw Cup champs are moving on to the OUA Semi-finals. Friday night at South Windsor Arena, the Gryphons women's hockey team won 4-2 over the Windsor Lancers to sweep their best-of-three OUA Quarter-final matchup. With the game tied 2-2 late in the 3rd period, Gryphons rookie forward Sydney Davison scored the game-winner with :46 seconds remaining. The Gryphons would later add an empty netter to seal the victory.

Windsor

Guelph

Final	1	2	3	T
Windsor	1	1	0	2
Guelph	1	1	2	4

WINDSOR, ON – The defending McCaw Cup champs are moving on to the OUA Semi-finals. Friday night at South Windsor Arena, the Gryphons women's hockey team won 4-2 over the Windsor Lancers to sweep their best-of-three OUA Quarter-final matchup. With the game tied 2-2 late in the 3rd period, Gryphons rookie forward Sydney Davison scored the game-winner with :46 seconds remaining. The Gryphons would later add an empty netter to seal the victory.

After winning Game 1 of the series 3-0 on Wednesday night in Guelph, the Gryphons made the trek to Windsor and got off to a slow start Friday night in Game 2. Just 1:18 into the opening period of play, the Lancers opened the scoring. The Gryphons would respond with a goal from third year forward Mackenzie Wong (Surrey, BC) to even the score at 1-1 heading to the 2nd.

Kaitlin Lowy, who scored twice in Game 1, would continue her red hot start to the playoffs by scoring a power play marker in the 2nd period to give the Gryphons a 2-1 lead. That lead would not last long however, as the Lancers would answer back with a goal of their own just :25 seconds after Lowy's. Game 2 was up for the taking, tied 2-2 heading to the final period of play.

After successfully killing off a 5-on-3 situation, the Gryphons would score the game-winner with just :46 seconds remaining in the 3rd period. Rookie forward Sydney Davison (Oakville, ON), who finished third on the team in scoring during the regular season with 9 goals, would score her first career playoff goal to give the Gryphons a sweep of their opening round series.

"We knew before the season that Sid (Sydney Davison) could put up points offensively," said Gryphons head coach Rachel Flanagan. "We've pushed her really hard during the second half of the season to improve the defensive side of her game, and she has done a great job to improve that aspect of her game. But in terms of what she's brought to the team offensively, it's been everything we had hoped for and more."

After Brittany St James entered the Windsor zone, she found a trailing Davison who fired a shot high glove side. Windsor goalie Morgan Farrow got a piece of it, but the puck trickled past the line to give the Gryphons the lead. Claire Merrick's empty netter with :10 seconds remaining made the final score 4-2 and booked a spot in the OUA Semi-finals for the Gryphons. Despite battling flu-like symptoms prior to the game, Gryphons goalie Valerie Lamenta made 32 saves on 34 shots for the win.

The Gryphons opponent in the next round of playoffs is yet to be determined, but as the top seed in the OUA, they will have home ice advantage throughout the OUA playoffs.