Gilmour vs. Padua hockey: Lancers get O'Grady goal in OT to continue hot streak, prevail, 4-3
Jan. 10—Don't ever let it be stated that Gilmour isn't willing to throw anything including the kitchen sink at turning a season's tide.
Longtime defensemen playing forward, vice versa — all in the name of ensuring a campaign doesn't circle the drain.
The Lancers shifted personnel — and with a Jan. 10 clash with Padua added to the case, their season has shifted in the process.
Landon O'Grady's goal in overtime, assisted by Aidan McKito, propelled the Lancers to a 4-3 Great Lakes Hockey League win over the Bruins.
Gilmour (8-10-1, 5-1 GLHL) has now won five of six since a 3-9-1 start.
Gilmour senior Mason Hice discusses a 4-3 GLHL win over Padua pic.twitter.com/OA5XU4pd5o
— Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) January 11, 2024
"What I liked the most about this was the second and third period and overtime, just the way they adjusted after a slow start in the first," Lancers coach John Malloy said. "They did it on their own. They made their adjustments attitude-wise and effort-wise, and it showed."
Amid 4-on-4 hockey in the extra frame, McKito completed a good, quick cycle by throwing a puck in from the left circle. O'Grady skated in from the back boards and took care of a look at the right bar at the 3-minute, 39-second mark of OT for the final margin.
Landon O'Grady at 3:39 of OT off an Aidan McKito helper gives Gilmour a 4-3 win over Padua pic.twitter.com/hkIbwUGFIX
— Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) January 10, 2024
"I just kind of tried to get that puck to the net," McKito said. "I found a hole. I found a guy. Landon put it in the net. Good goal. Way to bury it.
"Good, hard hockey, and we worked together as a team. We struggled in the first a little bit — it wasn't our best period of the year. But we came back in the locker room and figured things out. We talked to the team, came back out, put a couple in the net and got a good, gritty win."
The Lancers took a 3-2 lead at 9:32 of the third, when Colton Fairchild fed a crashing Aedan Aerni at the left bar.
Gilmour 3-2
Aedan Aerni at 9:32 pic.twitter.com/tqZYFyhG80
— Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) January 10, 2024
Tegan Brown responded for Padua (9-10, 2-2) 79 seconds later to make it a 3-3 game and force OT.
The Bruins took a 2-1 lead out of the opening 15.
Mason Hice got the Lancers off to an encouraging start at 2:29. George Valenti dug out a puck and fed Hice crashing through the right circle, who went to the backhand.
Gilmour 1-0
Mason Hice at 1:29 pic.twitter.com/4bqzUUTAaf
— Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) January 10, 2024
But the Bruins responded through Colin Matier at 9:08 and Max Urban-Matejcik at 12:09. The latter was on a rebound off an initial Jack Olbrys effort and came on the power play.
The Lancers had some difficulty generating consistent and deep looks in the first, but improved in the second with their new-look personnel approach.
Willing to throw anything including the kitchen sink at remedying the issue.
PHOTOS: Gilmour vs. Padua hockey, Jan. 10, 2024
"Things have been shaken up for a couple weeks now," McKito said. "Since that St. Edward game (on Nov. 22), that's when things really started to change. We started moving forwards to 'D,' 'D' to forwards. It kind of caused a lot of big changes. It's really affected us, and I feel it's helping us win games.
"I think we're all just really starting to buy in as a team and working together. As we keep working together, putting pucks in the net and winning games, and especially our goaltending is helping us a lot. We've have two really good goalies, both young, both really good tendies. They're helping us win games a lot and keeping us in there."
PHOTOS: Gilmour vs. Padua hockey, Jan. 10, 2024
THE SCORE
Gilmour 4, Padua 3 (OT)
