Box Score In the biggest game of the season for the Waterloo Warriors, Colin Behenna (Waterloo/) took it upon himself to ensure his team earned a valuable two points.

Behenna scored a highlight reel first-period goal - the eventual game-winner - and added an assist as the Warriors beat the Guelph Gryphons 4-1 at the Columbia Icefield Arena on Saturday night.

Matt Amadio (Sault Ste. Marie/), Justin Larson (Buckhorn/), and Luke Lynes (Washington/) added goals for the Warriors (12-11-3), who pull to within one point of a quartet of clubs for the OUA West's eighth and final playoff spot. Among those four teams are the Gryphons (12-11-4), who got a goal from Nick Huard in the loss.

Justin Leclerc (Saskatoon/) was spectacular at times in the Warriors cage, making 33 saves for the win. Guelph keeper Keith Hamilton took the loss, turning aside 29 shots.

The Warriors looked strong in the game's opening minutes, but they found themselves in penalty trouble as the frame wore on. Shortly after Waterloo's third consecutive minor, Huard found Leclerc's five-hole to make it 1-0 Guelph.

The Warriors bounced back quickly, albeit not conventionally. Hamilton gave the puck away to Amadio after a Waterloo dump-in, and, with his mates on a change, Amadio just tossed the puck to the goal mouth. It deflected in off a Gryphon and into the open net before Hamilton could return to position, making it 1-1 late in the first.

Just moments before the period ended, Behenna struck when he took a Ryan Hanes (Kanata/) feed in the neutral zone and dangled around the Gryphons defence, before zipping a backhand in short side to make it 2-1 after one period.

Tempers rose in the second period, as each whistle seemed to bring with it a skirmish afterwards. The Warriors continued to apply pressure, and it paid off when Larson squeaked a wrister between Hamilton's arm and body to make it 3-1 for the hosts.
Less than two minutes later, Lynes scored a beauty of his own when he took a Kain Allicock (Markham/) feed in front, spun, and burried a goal while on his back to put the Warriors up 4-1 after forty minutes.

The third period brought much the same physicality and animosity that the previous two featured, but neither team could find the back of the net.

The Warriors will now prepare for their road trip north to Thunder Bay to take on the Lakehead Thunderwolves in the last two games of the regular season. Pick drop for games on next Friday and Saturday are both slated for 7:30pm.

Notes: Waterloo went 0-for-5 on the power play, while Guelph went 1-for-6...Larson's marker was his 50th career regular season or playoff goal for the Warriors...Waterloo exacted revenge for a 7-3 loss to the Gryphons in Guelph on January 30.