The Canisius College hockey team lost its fifth-straight game, falling at Robert Morris, 6-3, on Saturday night. The Griffs are now 11-18-5 on the season and 10-13-2 in Atlantic Hockey play, while the Colonials improve to 18-12-2 and 13-11-1 in league play.
Juniors Kyle Gibbons (Westlake, Ohio) and Patrick Sullivan (Derby, N.Y.) plus sophomore Stephen Farrell (Ottawa, Ontario) all scored for the Griffs in the defeat.
The Colonials wasted no time taking the lead in the game, scoring just 1:48 into the contest when Colin South tipped a shot into the back of the net.
The teams would then go another 25-plus minutes without a goal before both schools started finding their offensive rhythm. Robert Morris stretched its advantage to two when Matt Cope tipped a shot into the net at the 8:19 mark of the second frame.
Canisius would answer right back, pulling back to within one just 56 seconds later. Senior Preston Shupe (Weyburn, Saskatchewan) brought the puck in the Robert Morris zone and left it for Farrell. The sophomore defender then blasted it into the back of the net for his first tally of the season. Sophomore Mitch McCrank (Haileybury, Ontario) also recorded an assist on the team’s first goal of the game.
Robert Morris, however, would quickly reclaim its multi-goal advantage and would even build on it. Adam Brace scored two goals 59 seconds apart at the 12:42 and 13:41 marks of the second period to extend the Colonial lead to 4-1. The senior sent a blocked shot in for the two-goal lead and then scored on a rush just a minute later after skating past the Canisius defense. Robert Morris then added a fourth goal in the period when Cody Wydo knocked in a rebound with 1:50 remaining.
The Griff did not back down and attempted to claw back into the game, scoring with just 19 seconds left in the second. From his own zone, Farrell sent a pass down the ice to sophomore Cody Freeman (Toronto, Ontario), who got past the Robert Morris defense. Freeman had his shot saved but Gibbons was there to clean up the rebound for his team-best 15th tally of the season.
Canisius then pulled to within two with 3:15 remaining in the game, scoring on a delayed penalty. Senior defender Ben Parker (Port Perry, Ontario) gained possession of the puck behind the Canisius net, skated down the ice and centered it to Sullivan, who knocked it in for his fifth goal of the season.
On the ensuing power play, Canisius pulled its goaltender for a two-man advantage but was unable to get any closer. After the Robert Morris penalty expired, Wydo sealed the Colonials’ win with an empty-net goal with 60 seconds remaining in the game.
Canisius finished the game with a 43-23 advantage in shots. Neither team scored on the power play with the Griffs missing out in six opportunities and killing the only Robert Morris extra-man advantage.
The Griffs wrap up the regular season next weekend with a home-and-home series against RIT. The schools open the weekend in Rochester on Friday at 7:05 p.m.
