Hockey Opens Homestand Versus Air Force

Games 27-28
Date: Friday, Feb. 7 | Saturday, Feb. 8
Times: 7:35 p.m. | 4:05 p.m.
Location: Buffalo, N.Y./KeyBank Rink at LECOM Harborcenter
Live Stats: GoGriffs.com
TV/Webcast: FloHockey.tv
Game Notes: Canisius (PDF) | Air Force
Tickets: Via Ticketmaster.com

The Canisius hockey team begins a five-game homestand this weekend as it squares off against Air Force in an Atlantic Hockey series this weekend at Harborcenter.

The Golden Griffins and Falcons open their two-game set Friday with a 7:35 p.m. puck drop before squaring off Saturday in a 4:05 p.m. matinee.

Parking Information
• Parking for Canisius home hockey games can be found at the LECOM Harborcenter parking ramp and at additional public parking locations in the Canalside District.
• Parking is $3 for all games in the LECOM Harborcenter ramp. Please see the ramp attendant if there is a question about the posted cost.
• On nights when the "Permit Only" sign is displayed, Canisius hockey fans are advised to enter the LECOM Harborcenter ramp and ask the attendant for directions to the most convenient alternate site.
• Fans are also encouraged to take the subway to the LECOM Harborcenter. The final stop on the subway line is outside the LECOM Harborcenter.

Military Appreciation Weekend
• The Canisius Ticket Office has announced that the Golden Griffin hockey program will be hosting "Military Appreciation" games this weekend to acknowledge local military personnel for their dedication and service to the Western New York community.
• All active and retired military personnel with valid military ID can receive up to two (2) complimentary tickets for either game this weekend. • Additional tickets for family and friends are available for purchase at $5 per ticket.

Scouting Canisius
• The Golden Griffins (7-15-4, 6-10-4-3 AHA) enter the weekend in ninth place in the Atlantic Hockey standings with 25 points, one point in front of 10th-place Niagara and just seven points back of fifth-place Bentley.
• Senior Matt Hoover continues to pace the Canisius attack, leading the squad with 26 points on 11 goals and 15 assists. Hoover led all AHA players in scoring during the month of January, tallying seven goals and six assists in just nine games.
• Senior Nick Hutchison remains second on the team's scoring chart with 23 points, bolstered by a team-high 14 goals. Hutchison, who has recorded six goals in the team's last nine contests, sits just six goals away from matching Cory Conacher '11 for first place on the program's Division I era chart for career goals scored.
• Senior defenseman Matt Stief paces the Griffs blueliners in scoring, having racked up a personal-best 21 points (2g, 19a). Stief's 19 assists are tied for third most in Atlantic Hockey this season.
• Freshman goaltender Jacob Barczewski has started the last nine games in goal for the Griffs. This season, the rookie netminder has posted a .904 save percentage and a 3.07 goals against average in 917 minutes of action.
• Canisius has been one of the highest-scoring teams in the country over the last five weeks as it is tied for third in the nation with 42 goals scored since returning to action after the holiday break. The Griffs have tallied three or more goals in all but one of their 12 games played in that timeframe.

Canisius Earns Split in League Series at Army
• Canisius claimed the opener in overtime but was unable to mount a comeback in the finale as it split an Atlantic Hockey series at Army last weekend.
• Game one saw senior Nick Hutchison score in the final 30 seconds of overtime to earn Canisius a 3-2 victory after Army had forced overtime with a game-tying goal in the final minute of regulation.
• Senior Matt Hoover tallied a goal and two assists to match his career high in points while freshman Keaton Mastrodonato notched his second shorthanded goal of the campaign.
• In the finale, Canisius trailed 3-0 early in the third before goals from Mastrodonato and junior Matt Long pulled the Griffs within one. The Black Knights responded with a power-play goal just 20 seconds after Long's tally to restore their two-goal cushion on their way to posting a 4-2 victory.
• Long scored while the Griffs were two-men shorthanded, marking the second time this season and just the third time in the past 21 campaigns that Canisius has found the back of the net while two men down. All three instances have taken place versus the Black Knights.

Scouting Air Force
• The Falcons (8-14-4, 8-10-4-3 AHA) make their way to Western New York tied with Robert Morris for sixth place in the league standings with 31 points.
• Senior Brady Tomlak paces the Air Force offense, leading the squad in scoring with 19 points on seven goals and 12 assists.
• Junior defenseman Zack Mirageas is second on the team's scoring chart with 18 points as he leads all Falcons with 16 assists. Junior Max Harper serves as the team's top goal-scoring threat with nine goals this season.
• Sophomore Alex Schilling has seen the majority of time between the pipes for coach Frank Serratore's, having started 19 of the team's 26 games to date. He has compiled a 2.62 goals against average and a .897 save percentage in 1168 minutes played.

Canisius-Air Force Series Notes
• Air Force holds a 23-15-9 edge over Canisius in 47 previous meetings between the two programs, all of which have come since the Falcons joined Atlantic Hockey in 2006-07.
• Canisius holds a 6-10-1 mark versus Air Force in home contests, including a 3-4-1 ledger versus the Falcons at Harborcenter.
• The teams split their two regular-season series last season. In their first matchup in October at Harborcenter, Air Force took the opener by a 7-3 margin while Canisius got revenge with a 2-0 triumph in the finale. The second series saw the teams trade 3-0 shutouts, with Air Force claiming the opener and Canisius taking the finale.
• Heading into the weekend, four of the last five meetings between the teams has ended in a shutout. Prior to the current stretch, only four of the first 42 meetings between Canisius and Air Force concluded with a zero for either team on the scoreboard.

Up Next
• Canisius continues its five-game homestand next weekend with a two-game series against defending Atlantic Hockey champion AIC.
• The Griffs and Yellow Jackets open their two-game series with a 7:35 puck drop on Valentine's Day before finishing the set Saturday with a 4:05 p.m. matinee.
• Tickets are still available for both games. They can be purchased by calling 716-888-TIXX or by visiting Ticketmaster.com.

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Players Mentioned

#72 Matt Hoover: F; 5' 10"; Senior

#91 Nick Hutchison: F; 6' 3"; Senior

#25 Matt Long: F; 6' 0"; Junior

#24 Matt Stief: D; 5' 9"; Senior

#8 Keaton Mastrodonato: F; 6' 0"; Freshman

#30 Jacob Barczewski: G; 6' 1"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#72 Matt Hoover
: 5' 10"; Senior
: F

#91 Nick Hutchison
: 6' 3"; Senior
: F

#25 Matt Long
: 6' 0"; Junior
: F

#24 Matt Stief
: 5' 9"; Senior
: D

#8 Keaton Mastrodonato
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: F

#30 Jacob Barczewski
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: G