CANISIUS COLLEGE ATHLETICS
The Canisius hockey team starts a four-game homestand this weekend when it hosts Atlantic Hockey Association rival Robert Morris in a two-game series at KeyBank Rink at Harborcenter in downtown Buffalo.
Puck drop for the series opener between the Golden Griffins and Colonials is set for 7:35 p.m. on Jan. 18. Opening faceoff for the finale is slated for 4:35 p.m. the following day. There will be a post-game autograph session with the team following Saturday’s contest on the seventh floor of Harborcenter.
Scouting Canisius
• The Golden Griffins continue a stretch that will see them play six of eight contests within the friendly confines of Harborcenter with their series versus Robert Morris after returning to conference play last weekend with a home-and-home series against Mercyhurst.
• Senior Dylan McLaughlin continues to lead the Canisius attack, pacing the squad in goals (13) and points (25) while tied for the team lead in assist (12). McLaughlin, who leads Atlantic Hockey in points (1.40) and goals (0.73) per game, was named a nominee for the Hobey Baker Award on Wednesday.
• Junior Nick Hutchison and sophomore Grant Meyer are tied for second on the team’s scoring chart with 17 points each. Hutchison is second on the team with nine goals this season while Meyer is part of a three-way tied for the team lead with 12 assists.
• Senior Jimmy Mazza leads Canisius defensemen and ranks third on the team in scoring with 15 points (3g, 12a). Mazza’s three goals are tied with fellow senior Cameron Heath for the most by a Griffs blueliner this season.
• The Griffs will look to get its power play back on track this weekend as they are just 1-for-22 (.045) with the man advantage in its last six contests. Canisius was 0-for-7 in its series against Mercyhurst last weekend.
• The Griffs have struggled to keep the puck out of their own net this season as they rank 59th in the nation in scoring defense (3.86). Canisius has allowed four or more goals in a game on 11 occasions in 2018-19, posting a 1-10-0 record in those contests.
Griffs Swept in Home-and-Home Series Versus Mercyhurst
• Canisius began its second half of league play last weekend by dropping both games of a home-and-home series against long-time rival Mercyhurst.
• The series opener at Harborcenter saw the Lakers jump out to a 4-0 lead, tallying three goals in a 5:37 span late in the second period to take control of the contest.
• Sophomore Grant Meyer and senior Dylan McLaughlin accounted for the two Canisius tallies in game one of the series.
• In the finale at the Mercyhurst Ice Center the next day, the Griffs held a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from McLaughlin and fellow senior Matt McLeod, but once again Mercyhurst took advantage of a second-period surge as it scored three times in a 5:44 stretch that gave the Lakers a lead they would not relinquish as they completed the sweep with a 6-3 triumph.
• Junior Matt Hoover accounted for the third Canisius goal in the series finale, finding the back of the net for the first time since Nov. 2 against AIC.
• McLeod and fellow senior Ian Edmondson both finished with two points in game two of the series as McLeod added an assist to his second-period goal while Edmondson finished with two assists.
Scouting Robert Morris
• The Colonials (8-13-1, 7-8-1 AHA) begin a stretch this weekend that will see them play nine of their next 11 on the road with their visit to Buffalo and Harborcenter.
• Alex Tonge paces the Colonials lineup, leading the squad in both goals (9) and points (19). Tonge was named a nominee for the 2019 Hobey Baker Award on Wednesday.
• Luke Lynch is second on the team’s scoring chart with 17 points, thanks in large part to his team-high 11 assists.
• In goal, Francis Marotte has started all 22 games played this season. He has turned in a .901 save percentage and a 3.11 goals against average in 1234 minutes played in 2018-19.
Canisius-Robert Morris Series Notes
• In 29 all-time meetings between the two schools, Robert Morris holds a 19-9-3 advantage in a series that dates back to the 2004-05 campaign.
• The Colonials hold a slight edge in recent matchups, posting a 5-3-1 record in the last nine meetings dating back to the start of the 2015-16 season.
• Canisius does hold a 7-6-2 advantage in 15 previous matchups against Robert Morris at home. The two teams split their Atlantic Hockey series at Harborcenter to open the 2017-18 campaign, with the Colonials recording a 4-3 victory in the opener before the Griffs responded with a 4-1 triumph in the finale.
Up Next
• Canisius completes its four-game homestand next weekend when it welcomes Atlantic Hockey Association rival Bentley to KeyBank Rink at Harborcenter for a pair of Atlantic Hockey contests.
• The Griffs and Falcons open their two-game set with 7:35 p.m. contest on Jan. 25 before wrapping up the weekend the following day with a 4:35 matinee.
• Saturday’s contest serves as Hall of Fame Day, with the Canisius Athletic Department honoring the inductees of its latest Hall of Fame Class during the first intermission.
• Tickets for both games are still available. They can be purchased by calling 716-888-TIXX or by visiting the ticket page on GoGriffs.com.
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