Canisius (2-7-0, 1-3-0 AHA) vs. RIT (1-5-2, 1-2-0 AHA)
Date: Tuesday, November 19
Time: 7:05 p.m.
Location: Buffalo, N.Y. | Buffalo State Sports Arena
TV/Webcast: America One Network
Live Audio: GoGriffs.com
DI Series History: RIT leads, 16-8-0
The Canisius College hockey team returns to Atlantic Hockey play on Tuesday night with a home game against RIT. The Griffs host the Tigers at the Buffalo State Sports Arena at 7:05 p.m.
SCOUTING THE GRIFFS
• Canisius is 2-7-0 during the 2013-14 campaign after losing a pair of games at Ohio State last weekend. The Griffs are 1-3-0 in league play.
• Senior defender Ben Danford continues to lead the Griffs in scoring, totaling seven points on a goal and six assists. Seniors Kyle Gibbons and Patrick Sullivan each lead the team with three goals.
• Senior Tony Capobianco (4.24 gaa, .886 save pct.) and junior Keegan Asmundson (2.50, .931) have split time in goal this year.
GIBBONS CHASES 100
• Senior Kyle Gibbons is currently on the cusp of a milestone.
• The senior has totaled 97 points during his career (45g, 52a) and is just three points shy of reaching the century mark.
• Gibbons will become the eighth player in the program’s Division I history and the 28th Griff overall to reach the 100-point plateau.
POWER DOWN
• After a slow start to the season, the Griffs are finally starting to show the form of their record-setting penalty kill from a year ago.
• Canisius allowed a power-play goal in each of its first seven games of the season and 10 of its first 32 attempts (68.8 percent penalty kill).
• The Griffs, however, have started to respond with eight-straight kills.
• Canisius killed off 3:39 of a five-minute major to finish a 4-3 win against Mercyhurst. The Griffs were then perfect at Ohio State, holding the Buckeyes scoreless in seven extra-man chances.
• The Griffs now own a penalty kill unit of 75.0 percent after posting a 90.1 rate last season (11th-best mark in NCAA history).
SPECIALIZED SCORING
• The Griffs’ special teams units have been the key to their offensive success this season.
• Canisius has scored half of its goals (9-of-18) while on special teams – netting seven power-play tallies and two short-handed goals.
• The Griffs are currently converting 18.9 percent of their power plays.
CANISIUS – RIT SERIES HISTORY
• In a series that dates back to the Griffs’ inaugural season of 1980-81, RIT holds a 46-14-1 advantage in 61 all-time meetings between the two schools.
• Canisius has played only Mercyhurst more than the Tigers during the program’s history.
• Since RIT moved to Division I before the 2005-06 season, the Tigers own a 16-8-0 edge in the series.
• The Griffs won all three games against the Tigers last season, marking the first time in the series history that Canisius has won three-straight games over RIT.
• Canisius swept the Tigers in the final weekend of the regular season last year, starting an eight-game winning streak that led the team to the Atlantic Hockey title.
ABOUT THE TIGERS
• RIT is 1-5-2 on the season and 1-2-0 in Atlantic Hockey play.
• The Tigers were off last weekend and earned their first victory of the season in their most recent game – a 4-2 win at Robert Morris.
• Mike Colavecchia leads RIT with eight points and five goals this season. Matt Garbowsky is second with seven points, including a team-leading five assists.
• Jordan Ruby has played every minute in goal for the Tigers, posting a 3.33 goals against average and .898 save percentage.
