The Canisius College hockey team allowed three early goals and couldn’t complete the comeback in a 3-2 setback to No. 16 Merrimack on Saturday night. The loss drops the Griffs to 2-5-0 on the season, while the nationally-ranked Warriors improve to 5-1-2.
“It was our best game for establishing forecheck and offensive pressure,” said Canisius head coach Dave Smith. “A bad first period cost us the game but I liked our overall effort and fight today against a ranked school in Merrimack.”
Sophomore Mike Sabatini (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) and freshman Dylan McLaughlin (Lancaster, N.Y.) each scored for the Griffs against the nation’s 16th-ranked team.
Freshman Simon Hofley (Ottawa, Ontario) made his collegiate debut and stopped 26 shots for the Griffs between the pipes.
The outing with the nationally-ranked Warriors got off to a rocky start as the Griffs surrendered three goals in the first 13:36 of the game. Justin Hussar opened the scoring just 30 seconds into the contest, sneaking a shot into the net on a wrap-around.
Ethan Spaxman then sent a blast into the netting at the 10:58 mark and Mathieu Forget finished a power-play opportunity 1:38 later for the 3-0 lead.
The Griffs fought back, however, and eventually pulled within one. McLaughlin lit the lamp for the first time in his collegiate career with 5:46 remaining in the first period. On a rush, sophomore Jeff Murray (Newmarket, Ontario) made a move to get past a Merrimack defender and then fed the puck to McLaughlin on the back door with the rookie knocking it in. Freshman Felix Chamberland (Quebec City, Quebec) also registered an assist on McLaughlin’s first goal.
Sabatini then brought the Griffs within one with his first of the season with 1:35 remaining in the second. Freshman Josh Supryka (Belleville, Ontario) challenged a loose puck that squirted into the Merrimack zone. The Warriors goalie came out to try and clear the puck but only got it as far as the blue line and Sabatini sent the puck into the open net for the 3-2 score.
Canisius, however, could not complete its comeback despite a number of good looks in the third period as No. 16 Merrimack held on for the 3-2 victory.
After the sluggish first period – where the Griffs were outshot, 20-7 – Canisius held a 13-9 advantage in shots over the last 40 minutes. The Warriors finished with a 29-20 edge overall in shots, while also winning the special teams battle – going 1-for-3 on the power play and killing both of the Griffs’ extra-man chances.
Collin Delia recorded 18 saves for Merrimack to earn the win in net.
Canisius continues non-conference action next weekend with a pair of games at Ohio State. The schools open the two-game series on Friday night at 7:05 p.m.
Game Notes: McLaughlin’s goal was Canisius’ first first-period goal of the season … The Griffs, however, have now been outscored, 13-1, in the game’s opening 20 minutes and have surrendered three goals in the first in four of the team’s five losses … Canisius remains winless all-time against Hockey East schools with a 0-10-2 record … The Griffs are now 0-2-1 against Merrimack … Canisius also fell to 6-30-3 all-time versus ranked schools … The Griffs have not allowed a third-period goal in their last four games.
