parpho@rogers.com

1/21/2012 5:38:00 PM
KINGSTON, Ont. (January 21, 2012) – The No. 9 Gaels (10-6-3) couldn't find a way to beat the aggressive checking game from the No. 5 Gryphons (15-4-1) who eased their way to a 4-0 win over Queen's on Saturday afternoon.

Mel Dodd-Moher of Ottawa made 19 saves for the Gaels in a losing effort. The Gryphons' Stephanie Nehring of Oshawa, Ont. got the win and shutout for Guelph stopping 30 shots. Nehring extends her shutout streak to 126 minutes and six seconds after coming off of a 4-0 shutout win over the Windsor Lancers. Brittney Crawford of Guelph, Ont. had two goals for the Gryphons.

The Gryphons took a 1-0 advantage mid-way through the first period when Erin Small of Pickering, Ont. took a pass from the corner and buried her 14th goal of the season. Victoria Head of Kanata, Ont. set up the play for the Gryphons on the powerplay.

The Gaels were slowed in the opening frame by an aggressive Guelph penalty kill, as Queen's was held out of the Gryphon zone for much of their two man-advantages in the period.

At the 3:10 mark of the second period the Gryphons struck again, Michelle Sabourin of Pickering, Ont. sent a backhanded pass from the corner through multiple skaters that ended up on the stick of Crawford who then tapped in the easy goal.

The Gryphons continued to press in the offensive zone and despite having multiple chances to clear the puck, the Gaels could not. Guelph took advantage of the tired Gaels defenders and Crawford scored her second goal of the game.

In the third period the Gryphons closed out the game when Samantha Ryder of North Vancouver, B.C. stole the puck off a Gaels defender and broke in alone on Dodd-Moher. Ryder scored her first goal of the season as she beat Dodd-Moher through the five-hole.