The Waterloo Warriors used a timeless road game recipe for their visit to the fifth-ranked Guelph Gryphons on Wednesday night: take advantage of your opportunities, stay close, and, when all else fails, weather the storm with a red-hot goaltender.
Julian Sime (Mississauga/North Bay Battalion, OHL) made 40 saves, and Markson Bechtold (Strathmore/Saskatoon Blades, WHL) scored the winner in overtime as the Warriors downed Guelph 5-4 in overtime at Gryphon Centre Arena on Wednesday night.
The win pushes the Warriors' record to 3-2-1 on the season, as they finished an early-season three game road trip with back-to-back victories. Bechtold's winner capped a three-point night, while Jack Scanlan (Penetanguishene/Stratford Warriors, GOJHL) put up two goals and an assist in his return from a suspension. Cam Nicoll (Loretto/Newmarket Hurricanes, OJHL) registered a pair of helpers, and the Warriors also got goals from Nick Chyzowski (Kamloops/Kamloops Blazers, WHL) and Chase Campbell (Waterloo/Windsor Spitfires, OHL) in the victory.
Guelph captain Mikkel Aagaard led the way for the Gryphons, scoring twice and adding a helper in a losing cause. Marc Stevens and Todd Winder also scored for Guelph, and Andrew Masters made 26 saves as the Gryphons fell to 4-1-2 on the season.
It didn't take long for the Warriors to strike off the opening faceoff, as Scanlan tipped home a Michael Siddall (St. Mary's/Toronto Jr. Canadiens, OJHL) point shot to give Waterloo a 1-0 lead just 19 seconds into the contest. But from there, the ice gradually tilted back in favour of the Gryphons, and they were rewarded with a pair of late-period power play goals: First, Stevens whacked home a rebound to even the score at 1-1 with just under four minutes to play in the first. Then, Aagaard scored his first of the night on a rebound out to the slot to make it 2-1 for Guelph after 20 minutes.
But after being outshot 23-10 in the opening stanza, the Warriors bounced back – they limited Guelph to just 9 second-period shots, as they got back to their tight-checking, responsible identity. And they were also buoyed by some incredible goaltending, as Sime made a highlight-reel, behind-the-back stick save to keep the Warriors within one goal. Late in the second, Waterloo's patience – and the play of Sime – eventually paid off, as Campbell rifled home a one-timer on a five-on-three advantage for his first career USPORTS goal, drawing Waterloo even at 2-2. Then, just 30 seconds later, and still on the power play, Scanlan got the last touch on a puck that pinballed off two Gryphons and past Masters, giving the Warriors a 3-2 lead after two periods.
After Aagaard's unassisted backhand roof job tied the game at 3-3 just under 8 minutes into the third, the Gryphons again came on strong in search of the go-ahead goal. Finally, with Chyzowski in the box for a trip, Winder tipped the Stephen Templeton shot up and over Sime's shoulder to give Guelph a 4-3 lead with just over two minutes to play. But the Warriors were in no mood to quit, and Chyzowski made amends for his penalty that cost his team just moments earlier: with Sime on the bench for the extra attacker, Chyzowski took the Alex Pawelczyk (Sterling Heights/Dalhousie University, U SPORTS) feed from a scramble in front and rifled home the tying goal, sending the game to overtime at 4-4.
And just 1:17 into the extra session, Bechtold ended it when he took a gorgeous Zac Coulter (Owen Sound/Elmira Sugar Kings, GOJHL) feed on the rush, and beat Masters with a backhand move through the five-hole for the game-winner.
The Warriors will now look to extend their winning streak to three games when they return home to meet the Brock Badgers on Saturday, October 26. Puck drop is scheduled for 7pm from the Columbia Icefield Arena.
