The Canisius College hockey team took a break from conference play on Saturday afternoon and played to a 2-2 draw with Bowling Green of the CCHA. The Griffs are now 6-8-5 on the season, while the Falcons are 4-10-5.
“It was a back-and-forth game where both teams had moments when they dominated,” said Canisius head coach Dave Smith. “I liked our resiliency at times to get the game going our way. We now have another back-and-forth battle on our hands tomorrow and I know we’ll be ready for it and hopefully come out with two points.”
Junior Ryan Bohrer (West St. Paul, Minn.) and sophomore Matthew Grazen (East Amherst, N.Y.) each netted a goal for the Griffs.
Sophomore Keegan Asmundson (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) recorded 33 saves for the Griffs in his second collegiate start.
Miscues for both teams led to early goals on the afternoon. After a Canisius turnover in its own zone, Ben Murphy finished a 2-on-1 with his first goal of the season 7:27 into the contest.
The Griffs then evened the match just before time expired in the first period. A Bowling Green turnover led to a loose puck on the blue line and junior Ben Danford (Stillwater, Minn.) blasted a shot toward net. Bohrer then redirected the puck into the net for his second goal of the season.
The score remained tied until early in the third frame when Grazen gave the Griffs the advantage. On the forecheck, the junior stole the puck from the Falcon defense and beat the goaltender 1-on-1 for his fourth tally of the season and 2-1 Canisius lead with 18:30 left in the game.
Bowling Green would answer back and eventually tied the game at two with 3:57 remaining, connecting on a power play. Ryan Carpenter tipped Bryce Williamson’s shot from the point but Asmundson made the stop. However, Carpenter was there to knock his own rebound in to knot the contest at two.
Neither team was able to net the game winner in the final nine minutes of action as the schools finished off the 2-2 draw.
Bowling Green finished the afternoon with a 35-31 advantage in shots. Both teams had two power-play chances with the Falcons converting once and killing both Canisius power plays.
Andrew Hammond recorded 29 saves in net for the Falcons to earn the tie.
The schools wrap up the non-conference series tomorrow afternoon at the Buffalo State Sports Arena. Game time is set for 12:05 p.m.
Game Notes: The Griffs are now 4-19-5 all-time against CCHA schools, including a 0-2-1 mark against Bowling Green … Asmundson has allowed three goals in 125 minutes of action in his two starts this season. His first career appearance was also against a CCHA school in a 3-1 win over Alaska on Oct. 13 … The Falcons’ game-tying goal ended a 128:36 scoreless streak for the Griffs in the third period and was just the second third-period goal allowed by Canisius in the last 12 games … The tally was also the first power-play goal allowed by the Griffs in the last seven games … Canisius’ 31 shots were 11 more than it had in the two games combined last season against Bowling Green (20).
