Hockey to face Army in AHA Tournament Semifinals

Date: Friday, March 19 | Time: 7:05 p.m. | Location: MassMutual Center/Springfield, Mass.
Live Stats: Via AICYellowJackets.com | TV/Webcast: FloHockey.tv

Game Notes: Canisius | Army

The Canisius hockey team continues its quest for the 2021 Atlantic Hockey Tournament title on Friday with a semifinal-round contest against No. 19 Army at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass. Puck drop for the matchup between the Golden Griffins and Black Knights is set for 7 p.m.
The winner of Friday's contest will advance to the tournament's championship game, where it will face either AIC or Niagara in a 7 p.m. contest on Saturday.

Scouting Canisius
• Canisius (10-5-0) is making its eighth appearance in championship weekend after recording a sweep of longtime rival RIT in a best-of-three quarterfinal round series last weekend at LECOM Harborcenter.
• Sophomore forward Keaton Mastrodonato continues to pace the Canisius attack, leading the squad in goals (9) and points (18) while also tied for the team lead in assists (9). Mastrodonato has done most of his damage since the start of February, leading all of Atlantic Hockey with 13 points (6g, 7a) scored in that span.
• Junior forward and linemate MItchell Martan ranks second on the squad with 14 points, recording five goals to go along with his team-leading nine assists.
• In goal, junior Matt Ladd and sophomore Jacob Barczewski have split time between the pipes this season. Together, the tandem has combined to post a .922 save percentage and 2.52 goals against average in 904 minutes of action.
• Canisius has found its scoring touch as the game has progressed this season as it has tallied 44 of its 53 goals after the first period in 2020-21. The Griffs have been outscored by an 16-9 margin in the opening 20 minutes of play this season, but own a commanding +22 goal differential over its opponents during the remaining 40 minutes of regulation and overtime (44-22).

Last Time Out
• Canisius advanced to championship weekend with a sweep of RIT in quarterfinal-round action last weekend at LECOM Harborcenter.
• Game one saw Canisius score four goals in the second period to break open a 1-1 game on its way to a 5-2 victory. Freshman Cooper Haar, sophomore David Melaragni, junior J.D. Pogue and senior Austin Alger all found the back of the net during the middle frame. Sophomore Ryan Miotto opened the scoring with a first-period tally and added an assist for a two-point evening.
• Sophomore goaltender Jacob Barczewski matched his season high with 35 saves between the pipes for Canisius as RIT held a 37-23 shot advantage for the contest.
• In game two, the Griffs trailed 2-1 after the first before scoring five unanswered goals to complete the sweep with a 6-2 triumph. Sophomore Keaton Mastrodonato tallied a goal and added two assists. Senior Grant Meyer and juniors Lee Lapid and Mitchell Martan all finished with a goal and an assist while Miotto and freshman Max Kouznetsov accounted for the other two Canisius tallies.
•Barczewski continued his stellar play between the pipes for Canisius, stopping 29-of-31 shots faced in the series-clinching contest.

Scouting Army
• Army extended the nation's longest active unbeaten streak to 13 games last weekend with a sweep of Sacred Heart in its AHA Tournament quarterfinal-round series that included a triple-overtime victory in the series-clinching contest against the Pioneers on March 13.
• Junior forward Colin Bilek has paced the Black Knights attack this season, ranking second nationally with 18 goals to go along with seven assists for 25 points. Bilek scored the series-clinching goal in the triple-overtime triumph against Sacred Heart, extending his goal-scoring streak to seven games with the OT winner.
• Freshman forward Lincoln Hatten, named to the Eastern Pod's All-Rookie Team, posted four goals and eight assists in 21 games played.
• Senior Trevin Kozlowski has been a difference maker between the pipes for Army, posting a 1.83 goals against average and a .925 save percentage in 19 appearances. Kozlowski has a 14-3-1 record between the pipes this season, highlighted by a pair of shutouts.

Canisius vs. Army Series Notes
• Canisius holds an all-time record of 29-30-6 against Army, highlighted by a 26-24-6 advantage over the Black Knights in the Division I era of the series. The schools have been evenly matched in recent meetings as the teams have split their last 22 contests (10-10-2).
• Army took three of four from Canisius during a pair of league series played in 2019-20, with the Griffs falling to the Black Knights in a pair of one-goal setbacks at LECOM Harborcenter (3-4; 2-3) before the two teams split their second series at Tate Rink (3-2 (ot); 2-4).
• Four of Army's last five victories against Canisius have been by a single goal.
• Friday's contest serves as the first postseason meeting between the two programs.

Canisius Postseason History
• The Griffs, in their 23rd season competing at the Division I level, have compiled a 31-32 postseason mark during that span, including a 28-26 record in the Atlantic Hockey Tournament.
• Since 2013, Canisius is 22-13 in the Atlantic Hockey Tournament. The Griffs have advanced to AHA Championship Weekend in six of the past nine seasons, winning the program's first title in 2013 and finishing as runner-up in 2014.

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Players Mentioned

#83 Austin Alger: F; 6' 0"; Senior; R

#30 Jacob Barczewski: G; 6' 1"; Sophomore; L

#33 Matt Ladd: G; 6' 3"; Junior; L

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

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

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

#5 David Melaragni: D; 6' 0"; Sophomore; L

#15 Grant Meyer: F; 5' 8"; Senior; R

#27 Ryan Miotto: F; 6' 0"; Sophomore; R

#9 J.D. Pogue: F; 6' 1"; Junior; R

Players Mentioned

#83 Austin Alger
: 6' 0"; Senior; R
: F

#30 Jacob Barczewski
: 6' 1"; Sophomore; L
: G

#33 Matt Ladd
: 6' 3"; Junior; L
: G

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

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

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

#5 David Melaragni
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; L
: D

#15 Grant Meyer
: 5' 8"; Senior; R
: F

#27 Ryan Miotto
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; R
: F

#9 J.D. Pogue
: 6' 1"; Junior; R
: F