Game Summary

Justin Leclerc (Saskatoon/) made an astounding 47 saves on Thursday night as the Waterloo Warriors blanked the Guelph Gryphons 4-0 at the Columbia Icefield Arena.  The shutout was Leclerc's first as a Warrior as he moved to 6-6-0 all time between the pipes.

Kirt Hill (Winnipeg/) continued his torrid pace with two more points on the night to move into a tie for top pointer getter in the country with 20 points in two games.  Grinding forward Jarrett Schnurr (Waterloo/) also chipped in with two points on the night to give him six points on the season (5g, 1a).

This was Waterloo's second win over Guelph with the other coming earlier in November as the Warriors edged the Gryph's 5-4 in overtime. The win improved Waterloo's record to 7-4-1 on the season, good for third place in the OUA west with 15 points while Guelph dropped to 2-6-4 and sit in seventh spot.

Both teams battled back in forth in the first frame with Guelph taking it to the Warriors in the early going with Leclerc having to weather the storm.  Guelph would outshoot the Warriors 16-9 but it would be the squad in black and gold that would find the opening goal as Blake Chartier (Winnipeg/) picked up a deflected shot by Hill at the side of the net for his third goal of the season.  Chris Ray (Kelowna/) did the dirty work in the corner to get the puck out to Hill picking up the second assist on the opening marker.

The Gryphons would open the second period with sustained pressure but again the Warriors would hold off the attack with several blocked shots and timely saves by Leclerc. 

At the 12:52 minute mark Mike Veysey (Bedford/) would take Waterloo's third straight penalty but it would be Waterloo who took advantage of sloppy offensive play by the Gryphons as Tyler Moir (Calgary/) would score a highlight reel short-handed goal.  Moir chipped the puck past two different Gryphons defender's before skating in alone on Guelph goalie Cody St. Jacques (Iroquois Falls, Ont.) before putting it over his glove hand side to make the score 2-0 for Waterloo.

Waterloo would add to their lead five minutes into the third period on a beautiful tic-tac-toe play on the power play.  Jarrett Schnurr (Waterloo/) would find Joe Underwood (Canton/) in the slot who faked the shot, freezing both Gryphons defenders and St. Jacques before sliding the puck over to Hill who had nothing but net to shoot at for his tenth goal of the season. 

Schnurr would add a late third period goal and Leclerc would make 15 third period stops as the Warriors would earn their seventh win and third in four games.

The Warriors take to the ice once again this evening as they battle the York Lions as part of Waterloo's Think Pink staff and faculty night.  Puck drop is set for 7:30pm.