Photo by Mariah Hewines on Unsplash
Luke Sweeney
Brock’s men’s hockey team lined up against the Guelph Gryphons in the 2022 Steel Blade Classic on Sept. 23. Friday’s match at the Meridian Centre was the 22nd edition of the traditional homecoming event that was established in 1999. Last time the game was played, Guelph beat Brock by a score of 4-1. The Badgers looked to return the Steel Blade trophy —a sword carried during the War of 1812 — back to St. Catharines.
The game got off to a slow start with both teams feeling each other out. Guelph almost got lucky a minute and a half in with a dribbler through the crease off a play behind the net, but there were few chances in the first five minutes. After that, the Badgers seemed to settle in, getting several chances off extended zone time and some excellent forechecking and puck retrieval work to keep plays alive.
The first two big chances of the game came shortly thereafter. Guelph had a rush opportunity turned away six minutes in. Soon after, forward Jacob Roach broke up a Guelph pass in their defensive zone, cut into the slot, and made a slick cross-crease pass to right winger Christian Girhiny who was turned away by a pad save.
Not discouraged, Brock kept at it, continuing their heavy pressure below the goal line. Despite a 3-2 opportunity for the Gryphons at 10:47 remaining, much of the first was all Brock. The Badgers’ hard-nosed mentality was eventually rewarded at 8:30 minutes remaining with a goal off a point blast by defenseman Jake Cella that beat the goalie clean top-corner.
“It is a strategy and it is a mentality,” said head coach T.J. Manastersky post-game, “We want to win both net-fronts.”
Brock had two more chances on rebound opportunities soon after. With some stellar goaltending by Mario Peccia to break up some odd-man rushes and an aggressive penalty-kill that created a shorthanded break, the Badgers exited the first up 1-0.
“We had timely goaltending, Mario made timely saves on odd-man rushes,” said Manastersky, “We need to do better to not give up those chances, but you have a goalie for a reason and he did a great job of that.”
Brock started the second on a mission. A scramble play in Guelph’s crease netted Girhiny a goal 14 seconds in.
“That second goal, right at the beginning of the second period…we were working, and then we were first on a puck and won some battles at the net front. I think there’s moments in a…
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