Big Man on Campus

Alive and Kickin' . . . Butt

The Guelph Gryphons men's hockey team's playoff hopes are alive and very well after a dominating 6-3 win against the Mid West Division leading York Lions at the Sleeman Centre on Saturday night.

The win leaves the Gryphons (12-12-2) three points behind York (13-10-3) with each team having two games to play.

Guelph is at Brock and at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology next weekend.

York, meanwhile, hosts the same two teams next weekend.

Needless to say, there will be plenty of scoreboard watching from both rinks.

Guelph can make the playoffs by either winning the division or finishing with more points than Windsor, which has 25 points and is last in the Far West Division with three games to go (at Waterloo, Laurier at home and Waterloo at home).

I'll have more on Saturday's game and player reaction to the playoff push in Monday's Mercury but know this: It was Guelph's most complete game from start to finish. The Gryphons didn't just win, they dominated — outshooting York 45-26.

Guelph goalie Adam Jennings called it the easiest game he's played all season.

Meanwhile, the buzz around the locker room after the win was that the first game held off campus since the Gryphons used to play at old Memorial Gardens was a success.

Attendance wasn't announced, nor does it appear on the game sheet. But, there was a sizeable crowd. It may have been bigger if the Gryphons didn't drop the puck in promoting the event to Storm fans. Word is, Storm fans could buy tickets for 50 per cent off by using a coupon. Why not give every Storm season ticket holder a free ticket with the promises that a) every TV in the place would be tuned to the Storm game and b) updates from Eerie would be announced three times per period?

Guelph assistant coach Jim Clancy told me the team is floating the idea of hockey double-headers with OUA schools which also have OHL teams in their city. For example, Queen's comes to Guelph the same night the Frontenacs do to play the Storm. The OUA game is played first, the OHL game second — or vice versa. If you're the OUA, it's something worth working on.

Speaking of joining forces, the Guelph Gryphons will practice with the Guelph Storm on Monday at 3:45 p.m. at the Sleeman Centre.

— posted by Greg Layson

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For the rest of Guelph's Saturday result, click below:

Women's hockey team puts on a show against York.

Download UNIVERSITY SPORT Gryphons Weekend Update

Bakovic's Bigtime

In case you missed it, third-year Ryerson Rams centre Boris Bakovic became the school's all-time leading scorer Friday night — in just his third year.

Bakovic, playing at a school not most notably known for its athletics, is one of the most underrated players in the OUA. The OUA gets little ink in the Big Smoke, so it's easy for a player to go unnoticed. In fact, a quick google search turns up nary a word written about Bakovic's accomplishment.

Even the OUA coaches collectively thought there were better players in the OUA when the season tipped off. Remember their picks for preseason all-stars?

So, give the guy his dues. He's scored 1,343 points in just three seasons. There's a very good chance he will become the OUA's all-time leading scorer. If he uses all five years of elligibility, he'll play 50 more games, including Saturday's contest against RMC. In order to surpass Kevin Dulude's 2,092 points, Bakovic just has to average 15 points per game until graduation.

Maybe then someone from the Sun, Star, Post or Globe and Mail will show up.

All other all-time scoring contenders (Bradley Smith of Western, Kiraan Posey of Lakehead and Tut Ruach of York) are in their final seasons. So Bakovic's a safe bet.

In case you're curious, here are the OUA's top 25 scorers all-time, as of January 27, 2009:

Download Oua career points_Jan27

Mott Again

Injury-plagued Guelph Gryphons forward Jay Mott will likely miss Saturday's game against the Western Mustangs in London.

Mott's left foot is in a walking cast, treating a probable stress fracture in his foot. He underwent x-rays Friday and the results weren't immediately known.

This is Mott's second injury of the 2008-2009 OUA basketball season. He previously missed four games with a sprained left ankle.

Last season, he began the campaign with an injured knee and ended it with a sprained thumb which required a cast.

Playing Favourites

Let's make one thing clear, I never root for anyone. Ever.

That said, I can have my favourite sports or teams to cover for any number of reasons. And the one sport I love to cover is Canadian university hockey.

I'm pretty sure few hockey fans are aware of the talent that resides in the OUA and CIS. Several — if not all — players are former major junior and teir II junior players. So talent isn't an issue.

And neither is goonery. There's no place for it in the university game, which was way ahead of the curve when it began strictly enforcing stick infractions a few years back. And fighting doesn't really exist in the CIS game.

All that combines to create a high-energy, fast-paced game — both on the ice and in real time. There are no silly scrums in the corners or in the crease. There is little pushing and shoving. But what there is, is a lot of up-and-down hockey.

Saturday, the game will be showcased at the Sleeman Centre when the University of Guelph hosts its first annual Gryphons Winter Classic. The women play York at 4 p.m. and the men play York at 7:30 p.m.

If you go,  you'll likely be home in time to watch the second game of Hockey Night in Canada's weekly double-header.

I'll have a full blown advance of this weekend's games in the Friday edition of the Mercury.

posted by Greg Layson

Gryphs beat Lancers 71-57

Who needs Nigel Johnson-Tyghter anyway? Certainly not the Guelph Gryphons men's basketball team by the looks of things.

Johnson-Tyghter, a 6-foot-7, 220-pound power forward, teased and tormented the team and its fans all summer before electing to transfer from Sheridan College to the University of Windsor.

Johnson-Tyghter insisted more than once he was to be a Gryphon, but he never officially sent his transcripts to the U of G. Instead, he headed west to Windsor.

Last night, the Gryphons got their collective revenge convincingly beating the eighth-ranked Lancers 71-57 at the Mitchell Athletics Centre.

Guelph's Duncan Milne, Johnson-Tyghter's counterpart, scored 15 points and had 15 rebounds for his third double-double in four games. Johnson-Tyghter had 10 points and 10 rebounds.

"Duncan played like a man on the boards. And when he plays like a man, we can beat anybody," Guelph head coach Chris O'Rourke said. "Johnson-Tyghter was physical with him and trying to take him out of it. But Duncan was blocking him, scoring on him and grabbing rebounds."

Read the full Mercury story

Sleeman Centre home ice

The University of Guelph's women's and men's hockey teams will be playing at the Sleeman Centre Saturday as part of the first annual "Downtown College Hockey" event.

Both teams will play against York University, with the women's game beginning at 4 p.m. and the men's game at 7:30 p.m., Jan. 31.

"Playing at the Sleeman Centre is an excellent opportunity for our hockey program to showcase itself in the heart of the city of Guelph and hopefully expose the program to an increased fan base," said Tom Kendall, director of athletics.

The Sleeman Centre is home to Guelph's Ontario Hockey League team, the Guelph Storm. The arena seats 4,500 people.

Tickets are $10 general admission and $5 for students, with special rates and seating for alumni. Tickets are available online or by calling 519 82-Gryph.

Gryphs carded

Eight members of the University of Guelph's track and field team received carding from Athletics Ontario.

Two former Gryphons were also named as carded athletes.

Gryphons named to the list were veterans Lindsay Carson, Dustin Gamble and Sarah Peirce as well as first-year Gryphons Rob Jackson of Guelph, Shauna Malek, Rachel Aubry, Miana Griffths and Meghan Harris.

"We are just getting a different calibre of athlete staying in Canada then we used to," U of G and Speed River Track and Field Club head coach Dave Scott-Thomas said.

Read more in the Mercury

Moffat on the mat

Alan Moffat of the Guelph Wrestling Club tries to avoid losing the Guelph Opne's men's 55-kilogram championship match against David Tremblay on Saturday at the Mitchell Athletics Centre. Greg Layson photo

Gold medal match

Guelph's Lindsay Rushton, right, looks for an opening against Brock's Alana King during the women's 48 kg gold medal match at the Guelph Open wrestling tournament at the University of Guelph Saturday. King went on to win the match. (Guelph Mercury/Ryan Pfeiffer)

Weekend coverage

Zerafa soars to top of OUA scoring race

Gryphs fall to Mac in close one

A senior statement

PHOTO: Guelph Mercury Sarah McClinchey of the Guelph Gryphons tries to fend off University of Ontario Institute of Technology Ridgebacks player Jessica Cockburn yesterday during OUA women's hockey action at the Gryphon Centre. By Greg Layson