Canisius (10-15-3, 9-9-3 AHA) vs. Air Force (17-9-4, 12-6-3 AHA)
Dates: Friday, February 14 / Saturday, February 15
Times: 7:05 p.m. / 7:05 p.m.
Location: Buffalo, N.Y. | Buffalo State Sports Arena
TV/Webcast: America One Network
Live Audio: GoGriffs.com
DI Series History: Air Force leads, 10-7-7
The Canisius College hockey team looks to rebound this weekend with a pair of home games against Air Force. The Griffs welcome the Falcons to the Buffalo State Sports Arena on Friday and Saturday at 7:05 p.m.
SCOUTING THE GRIFFS
• Canisius (10-15-3, 9-9-3 AHA) is winless in its last three games, claiming one point in a two-game series against Niagara last week.
• The Griffs sit in seventh place in the Atlantic Hockey standings. Canisius is six points behind a first-round bye position.
• Senior Kyle Gibbons leads Canisius with 28 points, 13 goals, 15 assists and eight power-play tallies this season.
• Senior Tony Capobianco owns a 3.18 goals against average and .904 save percentage in 18 starts this season with a 6-9-2 record.
FEBRUARY BLUES
• Since 2010-11, February has been a month of heartbreaks for Canisius.
• Canisius owns a winning percentage of .278 during the month, compared to a .533 percentage the rest of the year during league play.
• The Griffs, who are off to a 0-2-1 start this year, went 2-6-0 last February, including a loss in the month’s final five games before responding with eight-straight wins in March.
GIBBONS STARTING TO HEAT UP
• One trend that the Griffs hope continues from last year is the play of Kyle Gibbons in the second half of the season.
• Last year, Gibbons led all players in the country with 35 points afterJan. 1 after posting just eight points in the first half of the season.
• This season, Gibbons has recorded at least one point in his last seven games and 10 of the last 11. He has posted 13 of his team-leading 28 points this season since the turn of the calendar.
THE NEED FOR THREE
• The goal for the Griffs offense is to just score three goals in a game.
• Canisius is 10-2-1 this season when scoring at three goals.
• On the opposite end, Canisius is 0-13-2 when failing to net three goals.
CANISIUS – AIR FORCE SERIES HISTORY
• Air Force holds a slight edge in the all-time series, 10-7-7.
• The series has been one of the most competitive in Atlantic Hockey. In 14 of the last 17 meetings, the games have either resulted in a tie or a one-goal contest (not including empty-net tallies).
• Air Force claimed a 3-2 victory in Colorado earlier in the season, rallying from a 2-0 second-period deficit with three goals in 148 seconds.
• Last season, the series was even at 2-2-1. The Griffs upset the two-time defending champions in a quarterfinal series with a pair of 4-3 wins in Colorado.
ABOUT THE FALCONS
• Air Force has won its last three games, including a sweep of first-place Mercyhurst last weekend, to move into a tie for third place in the Atlantic Hockey standings.
• The Falcons own a 17-9-4 overall record and 12-6-3 mark in league play.
• Juniors Cole Gunner (14g, 24a) and Chad Demers (13g, 24a) have led the team this season, posting 38 and 37 points, respectively.
• Freshman Chris Truehl has started the last 11 games in net, posting an 8-2-0 record with a 1.92 goals against average and .924 save percentage.
