Box Score The No. 10 nationally-ranked York University Lions men's hockey team was defeated by the Guelph Gryphons 5-2 on Thursday night (Jan. 7) at the Gryphon Centre Arena.
 
The Gryphons took a crucial two points away from York, and are now just one point behind the first-place Lions in the OUA West standings.
 
The Gryphons came out of the gates strong, scoring six minutes into the opening frame when Carlos Amestoy beat Chris Perugini (King City, Ont.) to give the Gryphons the early lead which ignited their offence.
 
Thirty seconds after Amestoy scored, Trevor Morbeck crashed the crease and jammed in his first goal of the season. Shortly after the Gryphons took a two-goal lead, they were once again on the attack and defenceman Reilly O'Connor blasted a shot from the point that was initially saved, but the rebound fell onto the stick of Cody Thompson who potted it past Perugini to give the Gryphons a 3-0 lead going into the second.
 
The Lions were outshot 20-9 in the first period but the momentum began to shift in the second when Nicholas Geiser (Bolton, Ont.) was sent in alone and scored, which cut the Gryphon lead to two goals. The Lions ended the period inching their way back in the shot department for a second period total of 18.
 
The Lions momentum didn't transfer over to the third as the Gryphons once again came out strong. Rob De Fulviis broke in on a breakaway at the 12:34 mark and put the Gryphons up 4-1.
After both sides were assessed a total of 34 penalty minutes in the third, Amestoy scored his second of the game to extend the Gryphon lead.
 
A late Lions tally from defenceman Tyler Mort (Newmarket, Ont.) wasn't enough as the Lions fell 5-2 in Guelph in their first game of 2016.
 
The Lions' record stands at 10-5-3 on the season for a total of 23 points, while the Gryphons improve to 11-6-0, which is good for 22 points.
 
The Lions will look to get back into the win column against the Windsor Lancers on Friday evening (Jan. 8) when they travel to Windsor, Ont., to take on a team currently riding a two-game winning streak.