The Canisius College hockey team suffered a 3-1 setback to Army West Point on Friday afternoon at HARBORCENTER. The Griffs drop to 3-9-0 on the season and 3-4-0 in Atlantic Hockey play, while the Black Knights improve to 2-6-3 and 1-5-3 against league foes.
“Tonight, we did a lot of things right but Army did a better job capitalizing on its chances,” said Canisius head coach Dave Smith. “If we continue with that energy and execution, good things will happen but tonight, Army got the better of us.”
Freshman Dylan McLaughlin (Lancaster, N.Y.) scored the lone goal for the Griffs on the day with sophomore Reilly Turner (Temiscaming, Quebec) recording 22 saves between the pipes.
The Griffs controlled play early in the contest but weren’t able to break through for the lead. Canisius registered 16 shots in the opening 20 minutes of action – its highest total in any frame this season – but the Army netminder responded to the challenge to keep the game scoreless at the first intermission.
Canisius continued to pour on the pressure early in the second and were rewarded with a penalty shot. Junior Shane Conacher (Burlington, Ontario) stepped up to take the shot but once again the Griffs were denied on the doorstep to keep the game deadlocked at zero.
Army took advantage of Canisius’ missed chances and took the lead for good with 5:54 remaining in the second. After the Griffs turned the puck over in their zone, Josh Roberts skated down the ice and scored on a breakaway for the 1-0 advantage.
The Black Knights doubled their lead with 2:53 remaining in the second when Tyler Pham scored his first goal of the season. From behind the net, Conor Andrle found his linemate open right in front and Pham quickly finished the opportunity for the 2-0 score.
Canisius answered right back and pulled back within one just 15 seconds later. On a rush, freshman Felix Chamberland (Quebec City, Quebec) sent a pass through the Army defense and to McLaughlin, who got past the Black Knights blueliners. The rookie then ripped a shot past the goalie stick side for his second goal of his rookie campaign. Sophomore Nolan Sheeran (East Amherst, N.Y.) added an assist on the tally that brought the Griffs within one, 2-1.
Army, however, would seal the contest with 6:26 left in regulation when Brendan McGuire found the netting on the power play for the 3-1 score. Canisius would pull its goalie with 2:19 remaining in the game but still couldn’t get the puck past Army’s Parker Gahagen, who finished the game with 37 saves.
The Griffs posted a 38-25 advantage in shots on the day with the Black Knights winning the special-teams battle. Army was 1-for-3 on the power play, while killing all four Canisius extra-man chances in addition to the save on the penalty shot.
The schools wrap up the two-game series tomorrow night with a 7:35 p.m. puck drop at HARBORCENTER.
Game Notes: Canisius outshot its opponent for the second-straight game after not accomplishing the feat in the season’s first 10 contests … The Griffs’ 38 shots are a season high … Canisius attempted a penalty shot for the first time since the 2011-12 season and haven’t made one since current assistant coach Scott Moser scored during the 2009-10 campaign … The Griffs lost the opener of an Atlantic Hockey series for the first time this year.
