Ottawa’s slow start gave the Gryphons a lead they never gave back, falling 2-1 at home.
On Friday, the Gee-Gees women’s hockey team opened up their season, hosting the Guelph Gryphons at home. The Gee-Gees were eager for another shot at the Guelph, who bested them in the OUA McCaw Cup Championship last season.
The home crowd packed the stands at Minto, looking to watch an exciting start to the 2026-27 campaign. However, it was Guelph who dominated early, and controlled much of the game offensively, outshooting Ottawa 37-23.
First Period
The first minutes of the season were a back-and-forth, exciting affair. Gee-Gee defender Sydney Lynch made a nice play to begin her senior season, rush into the Gryphons’ zone that gave her a decent look at the net, though the shot couldn’t get through.
Ottawa’s struggles began shortly after, as fifth-year forward Alex Ferguson was called for body checking. The call gave fans their first look at the Gee-Gees’ penalty killing unit that ranked second in the OUA last season.
The Gryphons were well-structured on the power play, moving the puck around well. The Gee-Gee unit looked strong in response, as third-year forward Naomi Morin’s physical play gave Ottawa the spark they needed to get through the kill.
With the Gee-Gees seemingly taking out some frustration over last year’s McCaw cup, that would be the first of four times the penalty killing unit was put to work in the first period. Third-year goaltender Clara Génier came up big for Ottawa, making several key saves including a draw dropping cross-crease save to keep the game tied at 0-0.
The Gryphons would not be denied forever, as a shot from the point was redirected to an open Katie Dance, who promptly gave the Gryphons their first goal of the season.
Guelph took that one-goal lead into the first intermission.
Second Period
The Gee-Gees’ slump continued to start the second, as the Gryphons doubled their lead only a couple minutes into the frame. Maggie Alcock capitalized on a scuffle in front of Ottawa’s net, finding a rebound and riffling it in.
Ottawa struggled from there, unable to maintain possession. Guelph was able to capitalize on turnovers, getting great chances that forced Génier into action. She noted, “I’d rather get a lot of shots, it keeps me in a good position, I want to battle for every puck and I do my best work under pressure.”
The Gee-Gees found their footing later on in the frame, creating pressure in the neutral zone that led to chances. The breakthrough came on a power play later in the period, as third-year defender Reagan Samson found a rookie Charlize Danks walking in from the blue line. Danks found the back of the net through a screen for her first OUA goal.
The goal gave Ottawa new life, as the game turned into a more back-and-forth style game with both teams exchanging rushes. Guelph came close to putting another goal on the board when Maddie Min struck the post on a two-on-one chance.
The Gee-Gees had great chances of their own, with third-year defender Ella Humphrey’s shot from the blue line nearly being tipped in. Unfortunately, Ottawa could not find an equalizer before the period came to a close.
Third Period
Ottawa came out strong in the third, still looking for their equalizer. The Gee-Gees sustained strong offensive pressure, and made key defensive disruptions when the Gryphons tested them.
When they did break through, Génier delivered as she had all game, making great saves on quality chances. These included a one-timer in the slot and a breakaway, both of which she turned aside within minutes of each other.
The third period was a duel between goaltenders, with Guelph’s Sophie Helfenstein working to maintain their lead, making several clutch saves for her squad.
Ottawa’s final chance came when Guelph’s Myriam Parnell was penalized for head contact, giving the Gee-Gees a power play that would last to the end of the game.
The Gee-Gees pressed hard, looking for a goal to send the game to overtime. Eventually, they pulled Génier for an extra attacker, giving them a 6 on 4 advantage.
Despite this late pressure, Ottawa could not find an opening, falling short in spite of an excellent third period.
When asked about their second matchup against the Gryphons later in the season, Génier stated “such a close score tells us we can beat a team like that, we need to play a full 60 minutes.”
Looking Ahead
The squad will look to build off of the third period momentum, taking it with them into their second game of a back to back against Brock. There were plenty of positives to take away from the game: Génier’s performance, Danks scoring her first for the squad, and Morin dominating both sides of the ice.
Ottawa’s penalty killing kept up last season’s trend, winning four of five matchups. The discipline, especially in the first period, will have to be worked on, but the Gee-Gees stood their ground against the reigning champs.
The Gee-Gees will be a force throughout the season, and show great potential to bring the McCaw cup to Ottawa.
