The Canisius College hockey team begins the 2012-13 season in Alaska for the Kendall Hockey Classic. The Griffs open against host Alaska-Anchorage on Friday (Oct. 12) night (12:07 a.m. ET on Saturday) before finishing the weekend against Alaska-Fairbanks on Saturday at 8:07 p.m. ET.
CANISIUS IN SEASON OPENERS
• The Griffs are set to begin their 33rd season of play and their 15th year at the Division I level on Saturday.
• Canisius is 10-18-4 all-time in season openers and 4-8-2 at the Division I level.
• Coach Dave Smith owns a 3-4-0 mark in openers at Canisius.
• Last season, the Griffs lost the opener at Quinnipiac, 7-1.
LAST YEAR’S YOUTH EQUALS 2012-13 EXPERIENCE
• There was no denying the fact that Canisius lacked a lot of experience last season. The Griffs featured 20 underclassmen to start the season with only two seniors listed on the roster.
• While the squad went through its share of growing pains during the 2011-12 campaign, this year’s squad now boasts a lot of experience.
• Canisius brings back all but 12 points and eight goals from last season, returning 93.6 percent of its scoring overall.
RISING SOPHOMORES
• One of the most noticeable areas of growth for Canisius over the 2011-12 campaign was the improved play of the 11-man rookie class or this year’s sophomores.
• In the first half of the year, the class averaged just 1.11 points per game (20 percent of the team’s points). In the second half, the class averaged 2.50 points per game (42 percent of the team’s points).
A NEW NUMBER ONE
• One of the few faces missing from the Griffs’ roster this season is goaltender Dan Morrison, who graduated with a school-record 2,829 career saves last year.
• The good news for Canisius is that it doesn’t have to look too far for his replacement in junior Tony Capobianco.
• Capobianco has played in 30 games in his first two seasons (19 last year), posting a 2.99 goals against average and .916 save percentage.
CANISIUS – ALASKA-ANCHORAGE SERIES HISTORY
• The Griffs have played the Seawolves on three prior occasions. Alaska-Anchorage owns a 2-0-1 advantage in the series.
• The teams have met once since Canisius moved to the Division I level with the teams playing to a 3-3 draw in 2004 also at the Kendall Hockey Classic.
• The Seawolves also earned a sweep during the 1988-89 season.
GRIFFS AGAINST THE WCHA
• The game against the Seawolves this weekend marks the 11th time that Canisius will be playing a school in the WCHA.
• The Griffs are still in search of their first victory against the conference and own a 0-8-2 all-time mark versus the league.
• The last time Canisius played a WCHA school, the Griffs were swept by Wisconsin in January, 2011. Canisius lost to the 13th-ranked Badgers, 3-0, in the opener and had a late lead in the finale before falling in overtime, 6-5.
CANISIUS – ALASKA-FAIRBANKS SERIES HISTORY
• The Griffs and Nanooks have met for one prior series.
• During the 1988-89 campaign, Alaska won a pair of home games against the Griffs, 3-2 and 9-2.
• The teams are meeting for the first time since the Griffs moved to the Division I level.
GRIFFS AGAINST THE CCHA
• Canisius owns a 3-17-4 all-time record against CCHA schools since moving to the Division I level.
• Last season marked the first year since the 2007-08 campaign that Canisius did not defeat a CCHA school. Overall, Canisius is 0-5-1 in its last six games against teams from the league, including a 0-3-1 mark last season.
• The three Canisius wins against the CCHA came against Ferris State (2008-09 and 2009-10) and Western Michigan (2010-11).
