Special teams proved costly for the Canisius College hockey team on Saturday night as Mercyhurst skated to a 4-1 victory at HARBORCENTER. The loss drops the Griffs to 3-8-0 on the season and 3-3-0 in Atlantic Hockey play, while the Lakers improved to 8-6-0 and 6-2-0 versus league foes.
“Tonight, their power play beat our power play,” said Canisius head coach Dave Smith. “We did a lot of things well and controlled the game but two power-play tallies in the first were enough of a cushion for them and allowed them to hold on for the win. On the upside, we improved a lot from last weekend and I liked how we played. The puck just didn’t fall our way tonight.”
Mercyhurst won the special-teams battle on the night, going 2-for-4 on the power play and killing all six Canisius extra-man chances before adding an empty-net tally.
Sophomore Mike Sabatini (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) scored the lone tally for the Griffs in the defeat, finding the back of the net for the second-straight game.
After losing to the Griffs on Friday, the Lakers came out strong with three-first period goals. Mercyhurst quickly found the scoreboard on Saturday when Lester Lancaster scored just 68 seconds into the game on a wrist shot.
The Lakers then scored their first power-play goal of the night at the 8:02 mark of the first when Jack Riley found the netting from the right face-off circle for the 2-0 lead.
Canisius got one back just 36 seconds later when Sabatini tallied his third goal of his sophomore campaign. On a rush, Sabatini fired a wrist shot in from the high slot for the 2-1 score. Juniors Josh Kielich (Orchard Park, N.Y.) and Geoff Fortman (Crystal Lake, Ill.) both registered assists on the first-period tally.
Mercyhurst would reclaim its two-goal advantage, however, by connecting for the second time on the power play in as many tries. Lancaster scored his second of the day off a one-timer from the point for the 3-1 Lakers lead with 6:05 left in the first.
The three goals proved to be more than enough for the Lakers on the night as Canisius could never pull any closer. The Griffs had five power plays after falling behind 3-1 but could not break through. Mercyhurst then added an empty-net tally in the closing minutes to secure the 4-1 victory.
The Griffs finished with a slight advantage in shots on the night, 25-24. Freshman Simon Hofley (Ottawa, Ontario) started the contest and made eight saves in the first period before sophomore Reilly Turner (Temiscaming, Quebec) stopped all 12 shots he saw in relief.
Canisius looks to get back to its winning ways next weekend with a pair of home games against Army West Point. The schools open the series at HARBORCENTER on Friday at 4:05 p.m.
Game Notes: Canisius outshot a team for the first time this season … The Griffs have been outscored, 20-4, in the first period this season and have allowed three goals in the opening 20 minutes of action in six of their eight losses … Mercyhurst defeated Canisius for just the second time in the last 11 meetings.
