The Canisius College hockey team couldn’t overcome a sloppy start in a 3-2 setback to Air Force on Friday night. The loss snaps the Griffs’ four-game unbeaten streak as the team drops to 8-15-4 and 8-9-4 in league play, while the Falcons extend their unbeaten run to seven games and improve to 13-9-3 on the season and 11-5-3 against Atlantic Hockey foes.
“Coming into the weekend, we put ourselves in a position to battle for fourth place with Air Force,” said Canisius head coach Dave Smith. “To come out flat and without purpose in the first period is extremely disappointing. The fact that we drew only one penalty speaks for our lack of purpose on a huge night with playoff implications. It was a valiant effort in the end but it needs to be for a full 60 minutes.”
Senior Ralph Cuddemi (Concord, Ontario) and freshman Felix Chamberland (Quebec City, Quebec) each tallied a goal for the Griffs.
Freshman Simon Hofley (Ottawa, Ontario) recorded 28 saves between the pipes.
A slow start to the game put the Griffs in an early hole that they couldn’t completely recover from. Just 2:32 into the contest, the Falcons took the lead for good when Evan Feno finished a 2-on-1 opportunity. Feno’s goal was the only tally of the opening frame – a period where Air Force would record a 10-3 advantage in shots on the road.
A key 11-second stretch put the Falcons in control in the second period. With 15:54 remaining in the period, the Griffs were awarded a penalty shot but Air Force’s Shane Starrett denied the resulting scoring chance. The Falcons then seized complete momentum with a goal of their own just 11 ticks later. A bouncing puck in the neutral zone allowed Matt Serratore a 1-on-1 chance and he finished for the 2-0 lead with 15:43 remaining.
The Griffs pulled one back with 8:43 left in the second when Chamberland netted his third of the season. Sophomore Nolan Sheeran (East Amherst, N.Y.) forced an Air Force turnover in the Canisius zone and gained possession in the neutral zone. His shot was saved but Chamberland was there to poke the loose puck in for the 2-1 score through two periods of play.
Canisius had the better of play in the third but couldn’t capitalize on its chances despite a number of good looks. The Falcons then took advantage on the other end when Ben Kucera scored after a Canisius miscue, giving Air Force a 3-1 lead with 3:46 remaining.
Cuddemi pulled Canisius back within one with an extra-attacker goal with just 19.2 seconds remaining – assists to freshmen Dylan McLaughlin (Lancaster, N.Y.) and Cameron Heath (Troy, Mich.) – and the senior captain had another chance in the dying seconds of the game but couldn’t quite connect on a back-door opportunity as the Falcons held on for the 3-2 victory.
Air Force finished the game with a 31-25 advantage in shots. Starrett posted 23 saves for the Falcons to earn the win in net.
The schools wrap up the season series tomorrow night at HARBORCENTER with game time slated for 7:35 p.m.
Game Notes: Cuddemi’s goal was the 57th of his career and he moves into a tie for second in the program’s Division I history, matching the mark of Kyle Gibbons (2010-14) … Cuddemi is just five tallies shy of the program’s overall record, held by Cory Conacher … Shane Conacher had his career-best 10-game point streak snapped … McLaughlin has a point in six of his last seven games, recording nine points during the run after posting seven points in his first 20 collegiate contests … Canisius has missed its last three penalty shots as current assistant coach Scott Moser is the last to convert during the 2009-10 campaign … Chamberland’s goal was the first even-strength goal of his career after netting two power-play tallies this season … Air Force improve to 8-1-0 on the season in one-goal games with the win.
