Juniors Cameron Heath and Dylan McLaughlin were first-team selections while senior Ryan Schmelzer was a third-team pick as Atlantic Hockey announced its all-league teams on Thursday.
The trio of all-league selections marks the third time in the past four seasons that the Golden Griffins have had at least three players recognized in league voting. The selection of Heath and McLaughlin to the first team also serves as the first time in program history that Canisius has had multiple players garner All-AHC First-Team distinction in the same season.
A native of Troy, Mich., Heath returns to the all-league team after being a second-team pick last season. In 28 league games, the junior ranked seventh in the league in scoring among defensemen, compiling 17 points on six goals and 11 assists. Heath also placed third among conference blueliners in plus/minus rating (+11) and was third among Canisius defensemen in blocked shots (40).
McLaughlin, meanwhile, earned all-conference accolades for the second straight season after putting together an impressive regular season that saw him lead Atlantic Hockey in points (38) and assists (25). The Lancaster, N.Y., product was consistent throughout the 2017-18 campaign as he found his way onto the scoresheet in 21 of 28 league games played and finished with multiple points on 12 occasions. McLaughlin also finished tied for third in the league with a plus/minus rating of +12.
Schmelzer garnered all-league status for the second straight season after being an All-Atlantic Hockey pick a season ago. In 22 league games played this season, Schmelzer ranked among the top-11 players in the league in both goals (12/T-8th) and points (25/T-11th). The Buffalo product finished tied for third in the league with a plus/minus rating of +12 and was fourth among his conference counterparts with 312 faceoffs victories.
Second-seeded Canisius will host No. 8 seed American International in the quarterfinals of the 2018 Atlantic Hockey Conference Tournament this weekend at KeyBank Rink at HARBORCENTER in downtown Buffalo.
The best-of-three series gets underway on March 9 with a 7:35 p.m. contest while game two is scheduled for an 8:05 p.m. puck drop the following evening. If necessary, a winner-take-all game three will be held March 11 at 7:05 p.m.
The winner of the series advances to the tournament semifinal round, scheduled for March 16 at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, N.Y.
(Janet Schultz photo)
