West Springfield, Mass. – AIC ended a 15-game winless streak against the Canisius College hockey team on Saturday afternoon, earning a 5-3 victory against the Griffs. The loss drops Canisius to 10-14-2 on the season and 9-8-2 against Atlantic Hockey foes, while the Yellow Jackets improve to 7-18-1 and 6-12-1 in league play.

“AIC won the game in the first two periods today,” said Canisius head coach Dave Smith. “They imposed their style of play on the game and were opportunistic with their opportunities. The passion that we played with in the third period needs to show up in the first 40 minutes as well for us to be our most successful. We knew coming into the weekend that AIC was dangerous off the rush and had an uncanny knack for loose pucks around the net and that’s how they got a two-goal lead after two periods.”

Senior Kyle Gibbons (Westlake, Ohio) and juniors Doug Jessey (Langdon, Alberta)and Braeden Rigney (Singhampton, Ontario) all scored for the Griffs in the defeat.

The Griffs grabbed the early lead in the contest thanks to Rigney’s sixth goal of the season. Jessey fired a shot off the goal post and Rigney was there to knock the rebound in for the 1-0 advantage. Freshman Josh Kielich (Orchard Park, N.Y.) also registered an assist on the goal 6:06 into the period.

The Yellow Jackets knotted the game just 68 seconds later when Alexander MacMillan scored but the Griffs responded just 32 seconds after losing the lead behind Gibbons’ 12th goal of the season. Sophomore defender Chris Rumble’s (Seattle, Wash.) was wide of the net on a shot and senior Patrick Sullivan (Derby, N.Y.) threw the puck out in front, where Gibbons would knock it for the 2-1 lead with 12:14 remaining in the opening period.

AIC once again answered back, scoring a short-handed goal with 9:25 remaining in the first when Dan Clairmont tipped a shot into the back of the net for the 2-2 score.

The Yellow Jackets then carried their momentum into the second frame and grabbed a two-goal advantage. Steven Hoshaw sent a blast on goal that netminder Tony Capobianco (Mississauga, Ontario) could only get a piece of before the puck trickled past the goal line 58 seconds into the frame. AIC extended its lead to two, taking advantage of a Canisius turnover in the neutral zone when Clairmont scored on a 3-on-2 break for a 4-2 lead with9:45 remaining in the period.

Canisius pulled to within one with 17:23 remaining in regulation when Jessey scored his fifth goal of the season. The junior fired a shot into the back of the net off passes from Rumble and junior Mitch McCrank (Haileybury, Ontario) while on the power play for the 4-3 score.

The Griffs, however, were unable to find the equalizer, in the final 17-plus minutes and the Yellow Jackets sealed the victory with 28.5 seconds remaining with an empty-net goal for the 5-3 win.

Canisius finished the game with a 34-25 advantage in shots, including a 14-4 edge in the third period. The Griffs were 1-for-4 on the power play, while killing the only two AIC extra-man chances.

Capobianco and junior Keegan Asmundson (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) combined to make 20 saves for the Griffs. Hunter Leisner stopped 31 shots to earn the win for the Yellow Jackets.

Canisius returns to action next week with a pair of games against Battle of the Bridge rival Niagara. The schools open the series in Lewiston on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m.

Brockport upends men痴 hockey, 4-1

BROCKPORT, N.Y.裕he College at Brockport (6-9-3, 3-5-1 SUNYAC) scored two
third period goals to hold off the SUNY Potsdam men痴 hockey (6-12, 1-8)
for a 4-1 victory on Friday night. Junior defenseman Max Fogel
(Williamsville, N.Y./Buffalo Jr. Sabres) scored for the Bears.

Golden Eagle Chris Cangro opened the scoring at the 13:24 mark of the
first period with a power-play tally. The Bears managed good pressure
through most of the period with a 14-9 shot total. However, they entered
the break down 1-0.

Chris Luker made it a 2-0 contest just 2:54 into the second period. Again
Potsdam responded with a barrage of shots on Brockport goalie Jared
Lockhurst. The effort finally paid off at 16:13 as Fogel buried his first
of the year with an assist from sophomore forward Jake Rivera (Pacific
Palisades, Calif./Hartford Wolfpack). The Bears again finished with an
advantage in shots at 15-11, but ended the middle stanza trailing 2-1.

Chase Nieuwendyk gave Brockport another power-play goal 51 seconds into
the final 20 minutes and the Golden Eagles regained their two-goal lead.
The play in the third period was tighter than the previous periods. Andrew
Parks tacked on some insurance to cap the scoring at 4-1 with less than
seven minutes to left.

Bears senior goalie Shane Talarico (Greensburg, Pa./Elmira College)
finished the night with 25 saves, while Lockhurst earned the win with 38
stops. The Golden Eagles were 2-6 on the power play and Potsdam went 0-7.

The Bears are back in action tomorrow night when they travel to Geneseo
for a 7 p.m. battle with the 14th-ranked Ice Knights.

Springfield, Mass. – The Canisius College hockey team won its fourth-straight road gameon Friday night, earning a 4-1 victory at AIC. With the win, Canisius improves to 10-13-2 and 9-7-2 in Atlantic Hockey play, while the Yellow Jackets drop to 6-18-1 and 5-12-1 against league foes.

Junior Cody Freeman (Toronto, Ontario) led the Griffs with two goals on the night, while classmates Mitch McCrank (Haileybury, Ontario) and Braeden Rigney (Singhampton, Ontario) both added a tally.

Senior Tony Capobianco (Mississauga, Ontario) recorded 23 saves to earn the win in net.

The teams battled for a scoreless first 36-plus minutes before Freeman broke the game open with two goals just 97 seconds apart. The junior forward opened the scoring with 3:28remaining in the second when he knocked in a rebound off a shot from junior defenderLogan Roe (Fort Myers, Fla.). Senior Kyle Gibbons (Westlake, Ohio) also registered an assist on Freeman’s fourth goal of the season.

It took only 97 seconds for Freeman to give the Griffs a two-goal cushion. While on the power play, Gibbons had his shot deflected and fall right to Freeman in the slot. The junior then swatted the puck in for his fifth tally of the year. Senior defender Ben Danford (Stillwater, Minn.) also added an assist on the goal.

Canisius then quickly extended its lead in the third frame when McCrank scored on the power play 1:57 into the period. From behind the net, sophomore Ralph Cuddemi (Concord, Ontario) found freshman Shane Conacher (Burlington, Ontario) on the opposite side. Conacher then passed back to McCrank in the slot and the junior finished with an open look for his second tally of the season

Rigney added to the Griffs advantage with his fifth goal of the season, scoring with 3:02remaining. The junior skated down the ice and ripped a shot into the back of the net for the 4-0 lead. Freshman Josh Kielich (Orchard Park, N.Y.) and junior Doug Jessey (Langdon, Alberta) both recorded an assist on the goal.

AIC finally got on the board with 51.9 seconds remaining when Mike Dietrich scored but it was too little, too late as the Griffs earned the 4-1 victory.

Canisius finished the game with a 34-24 advantage in shots, while going 2-for-4 on the power play. The Griffs also killed all four Yellow Jacket extra-man chances.

Hunter Leisner recorded 30 saves in defeat for AIC.

The schools wrap up the two-game series tomorrow afternoon with game time slated for3:05 p.m.

Nazareth scores two 3rd period goals to edge Hobart 4-3

Box Score

GENEVA, N.Y.–The Nazareth College hockey team scored two third period goals to defeat No. 15 Hobart 4-3 in an ECAC West game played tonight at The Cooler. The Statesmen fall to 10-5-4 overall and 4-2-3 in the conference, while the Golden Flyers improve to 6-12-1 and 2-6-1 in the ECAC West.

Nazareth ended Hobart’s record-matching eight game win streak. It’s the Golden Flyers fourth straight win and third straight over a nationally ranked opponent, having defeated then No. 10 Utica and then No. 14 Geneseo last weekend. Mark Zavorin scored twice for the Golden Flyers and Jordan Ciccarello added two assists. Ed Zdolshek played all 60 minutes in goal and made 37 saves in the win.

First-year Carl Belizario (Dorval, Quebec) led Hobart with a goal and two assists. First-year Mitch Beyer (Clifton Park, N.Y.) added a goal and an assist and junior Ryan Michel(Camillus, N.Y.) chipped in two assists. Sophomore Lino Chimienti (Montreal/Quebec)played 59:32 in goal and made 22 saves.

The Statesmen jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the first period. Just 5:10 in, Belizario found the back of the net on a low shot from the right corner off assists from Beyer and Michel. It was his fourth tally this year. Beyer notched his fourth goal this season to put Hobart up 2-0 with5:01 left in the first. His goal came on a one-timer off a feed from junior Robert Sovik (Prague, Czech Republic). Belizario was also credited with an assist on the play. With just1:42 left in the first, Zavorin put Nazareth on the board, capitalizing on a power play. He scored top shelf from the slot. Don Oliveri and Travis Hill earned the assists.

Zavorin struck again at 5:20 in the second to tie things up at 2-2. His second goal also came on a power play. This time it was off passes from Packy Jones and Ciccarello. With just 57 seconds left in the middle period, senior Tommy Fiorentino (New Hartford, N.Y.)scored on a tip in off a quick crease pass from Belizario on a rush to give Hobart a 3-2 lead into the second intermission. The goal was Fiorentino’s sixth this season and was his 50th career point.

Nazareth came out strong in the final period, scoring twice to secure the victory. Ben Blasko tied up the game at 3-3 at 11:22. Blasko kept control of the puck while falling to the ice and was able to slip his shot past Chimienti. With 6:43 left in regulation, Ciccarello logged what proved to be the game-winning goal for the Golden Flyers. He drilled a shot from the point through traffic and into the back of the net. It was his third goal this season.

Hobart pulled Chimienti with 28 seconds left in the third for the extra skater, however, the Statesmen were unable to find the equalizer.

The Golden Flyers finished 2-for-5 on the power play, while Hobart went 0-for-4. The Statesmen finished with a 40-26 advantage in shots.

Nazareth and Hobart will meet again tomorrow, Feb. 1, for another ECAC West contest in The Cooler at 4 p.m.

MILFORD, Conn. – The Niagara hockey team battled back from two goals down, but was dealt a blow as the Purple Eagles fell victim to the Sacred Heart Pioneers, 4-3 on a last second goal at the Milford Ice Pavilion on Friday evening.

After a trio of goals were scored in each of the opening two periods, the game seemed to be headed to overtime, but Mitch Nylen was able to snap home the go-ahead goal with just .09 seconds remaining to get the regulation win.

Ryan Rashid and defensemen Tyler Akeson and Vince Muto accounted for the scoring.  Adrian Ignagni started in net for the Purple Eagles, making four saves, but was replaced by Jackson Teichroeb six minutes into the contest.  Teichroeb finished the contest with 32 stops.

Niagara, 7-15-3 overall and 7-8-3 in the Atlantic Hockey, went 1-for-4 on the power play and 1-for-5 on the penalty kill.

The Pioneers (7-18-0; 6-12-0 AHA) needed a little over five minutes to open the scoring, as a clean faceoff win from Justin Danforth slipped back to Jordan Minello who beat Ignagni glove side for his fourth of the season.  Sacred Heart’s Brian Sheehan responded just 30 seconds later to give the Pioneers a two-goal cushion and force the early goaltending change, bringing in Teichroeb.

The Pioneers wasted no time in testing the freshman goaltender as Justin Danforth raced in on a breakaway, but he couldn’t lift his backhand attempt over the sliding pad of Teichroeb.

Niagara put a dent into the scoreboard with under three minutes remaining in the first off the stick of Akeson via assists by Sam Alfieri and Phil Nasca.  Just seven seconds after a Sacred Heart penalty expired, Pioneer goaltender Andrew Bodnarchuck gave up a rebound to Akeson at the top of the faceoff circle and the freshman buried the slap shot top-shelf to slice Sacred Heart’s lead in half.

Rashid nearly put the score back even with 53 seconds left until the first break, but his deflection off a Kevin Ryan slap shot from the point was waved off for a high stick.

A little over five minutes into the second period, Muto found the back of the net to even the game at two apiece.  With 11 seconds remaining on the power play, TJ Sarcona passed to Muto in the slot where his laser found its way through traffic into the cage for his third goal of the year.  The Pioneers wasted no time in regaining the lead however, as Minello set up Danforth for his third goal of the season 6:54 into the second.

Niagara battled back once again to pull even with 6:13 as Matt Chiarantano sprung Rashid on a breakaway.  The forward sped into the offensive zone, made a quick move before burring the puck over the shoulder of Bodnarchuk to make it 3-3 going into the final 20 minutes of regulation.

Niagara will look to bounce back tomorrow when it returns to the Milford Ice Pavilion for game two against Sacred Heart at 7:05 p.m.