Five Things to Know: Hockey Opens AHA Play at Bentley

Games 8-9
Canisius (3-3-1, 0-0-0 AHA) at Bentley (3-4-0, 1-1-0 AHA)
Dates: Friday, Nov. 5 | Saturday, Nov. 6
Times: 7 p.m. | 4 p.m.
Location: Waltham, Mass. | Bentley Arena
Live Stats: Via BentleyFalcons.com
Stream: Flohockey.tv
Social Media: Twitter | Instagram
Game Notes: Canisius | Bentley

1) Puck Drop
The Canisius hockey team opens conference play this weekend as it travels to Waltham, Mass., for an Atlantic Hockey Association series against Bentley. The Golden Griffins and Falcons open their two-game set at Bentley Arena Friday with a 7 p.m. contest before wrapping up the series the following day with a 4 p.m. matchup.

2) Getting a Late Start to League Play
After opening the 2021-22 season with seven non-conference games, Canisius finally turns its focus to league play with this weekend's series at Bentley. For the Griffs, one of the last two Atlantic Hockey teams to begin league play this season (Air Force), it marks just the third time in program history that the team has entered the month of November before playing a league contest. The first occurrence took place in the league's inaugural campaign in 2004-05 while the 2019-20 season also saw the Griffs wait until November before starting conference play.

3) Top Line Leading the Way Early
The Griffs top line of seniors Lee Lapid and Mitchell Martan and junior Keaton Mastrodonato has paced the Canisius attack through the early part of the season. Mastrodonato leads the team in scoring with eight points on a team-best four goals and four assists while Lapid (2g, 3a) and Martan (1g, 4a) are tied for second on the team's scoring chart with five points apiece. At least two of the line's three skaters have registered a point in six of the Griffs' seven games played in 2021-22.

4) A Change Has Done Witkowski Good
Graduate forward Jake Witkowski has found his scoring touch since joining the Canisius program in the offseason after four years at Boston University. Witkowski scored the first goal of his collegiate career on Oct. 19, getting on the board in the second period of Canisius' 4-4 tie at Clarkson. He followed that effort by notching his second career goal in the Griffs' next game, potting the game-winning marker in a 4-3 triumph versus Ferris State at LECOM Harborcenter on Oct. 29.

5) Up Next
Canisius returns home next weekend to host RIT in an Atlantic Hockey Association series at LECOM Harborcenter. The Griffs and Tigers begin their two-game series Nov. 12 with a 6 p.m. contest before wrapping up the weekend slate the next day with a 4 p.m. matchup.

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Players Mentioned

#28 Lee Lapid: F; 6' 0"; Senior; R

#81 Mitchell Martan: F; 5' 8"; Senior; L

#8 Keaton Mastrodonato: F; 6' 0"; Junior; R

#12 Jake Witkowski: F; 5' 10"; Graduate Student; R

Players Mentioned

#28 Lee Lapid
: 6' 0"; Senior; R
: F

#81 Mitchell Martan
: 5' 8"; Senior; L
: F

#8 Keaton Mastrodonato
: 6' 0"; Junior; R
: F

#12 Jake Witkowski
: 5' 10"; Graduate Student; R
: F