Canisius (12-20-5, 10-13-5) at Air Force (18-11-5, 16-7-5)
Dates: Friday, March 11 – Sunday, March 13
Times: 9:05 p.m. ET
Location: USAF Academy, Colo. / Cadet Ice Arena
TV/Webcast: Eversport TV
Live Audio: GoGriffs.com
DI Series History: Air Force leads, 15-11-8
The Griffs continue their quest for an AHC title with a matchup against second-seeded Air Force in the quarterfinals. The schools are set to meet in a best 2-of-3 series on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (if necessary) at 9:05 p.m. ET.
SCOUTING THE GRIFFS
• The Griffs finished the regular season in seventh place in the AHC standings before defeating Niagara, two games to one last weekend.
• Shane Conacher leads the team with 45 points, 20 goals and 25 assists, while Ralph Cuddemi is a close second with 40 points.
• Rookie Simon Hofley has started the last 18 games and in 23 starts overall, he has a 2.64 goals against average and .922 save percentage.
CUDDEMI AND CONACHER EARN ALL-AHC HONORS
• Junior Shane Conacher and senior Ralph Cuddemi were both named to the all-conference teams on Wednesday.
• Conacher earned first-team honors, joining his brother, Cory, as the only Canisius forwards to receive the accolade at the Division I level.
• Cuddemi earned second-team honors for the second-straight year, joining Carl Hudson and Cory Conacher as two-time Griff honorees.
ATLANTIC HOCKEY TOURNAMENT
• The Griffs secured the seven seed for the Atlantic Hockey Tournament and now play at No. 2 Air Force
• The schools met four times in the regular season with Air Force going 2-1-1. The teams both tallied nine goals in 245 minutes of action.
• The winner advances to Rochester where it will be reseeded for the semifinals. Canisius has advanced to the semifinals in each of the last three years – the longest streak in program history.
LUCKY NUMBER SEVEN
• While most schools are disappointed with a seven seed, Canisius has been very successful at that position.
• The last two times Canisius was the seven seed, the Griffs advanced to the championship game – winning the title in 2013 and finishing as runner-up in 2014. The 2013 run included a sweep of second-seeded Air Force in the quarterfinals.
• The Griffs are 13-4 overall as the seven seed in the AHC Tournament.
CANISIUS – AIR FORCE SERIES HISTORY
• Air Force holds a slight edge in the all-time series, 15-11-8.
• The schools met four times earlier this season with Air Force claiming 5-of-8 points. Each team totaled nine goals during the four meetings.
• Canisius has had more success in Colorado against the Falcons with a 7-7-4 record all-time at Cadet Ice Arena. The schools split a series at Air Force earlier in the season with the Falcons taking the opener, 3-2, before Canisius claimed the finale, 4-2.
POSTSEASON HISTORY
• The schools are meeting for the second time in the postseason.
• In 2013, seventh-seeded Canisius traveled to second-seeded Air Force in the quarterfinals and swept the series with a pair of 4-3 victories en route to the program’s first title.
• Air Force had won five of the previous six titles and that victory started a run of three-straight trips to the Atlantic Hockey Final Four for the Griffs.
ABOUT THE FALCONS
• Air Force finished tied for second in the Atlantic Hockey standings with a 16-7-5 league record. Overall, the Falcons completed the regular season with an 18-11-5 record.
• The Falcons lost only twice after Jan. 8, going 11-2-3 in the final 16 games of the season.
• A total of 12 players have at least 10 points for the Falcons, including five players ranging from 21 to 25 points.
• Tyler Ledford leads Air Force with 25 points on six goals and 19 assists. Ben Kucera has netted a team-leading 14 goals for the Falcons.
• All-Atlantic Hockey First Team goalie Shane Starrett has anchored the team between the pipes, posting a 2.00 goals against average and .920 save percentage.
