By: Connor Pohlman, Sports Editor
In the first game of their weekend against No. 18 RIT, the Ice Griffs let the game slip away from them as they lost a faceoff in their own zone and allowed a goal in the final seconds of regulation. RIT’s Ryan Nicholson sniped the game winner for the Tigers. Friday’s 3-2 loss served as Canisius’ first game against a nationally ranked opponent since the 2020-2021 season.
Canisius captain Keaton Mastrodonato was the first on the board, firing a wrist shot to give the Griffins a 1-0 lead, just 2:02 into the game. Mastrodonato doubled the Griffs’ lead in the second, adding his second of the game by jamming home his own rebound.
Just 40 seconds after Mastrodonato’s second, Tigers forward Cody Laskosky put RIT on the scoresheet with his tally. Andrew Petrucci knotted the game at 2-2 at the 16:35 of the second. The even game would set the stage for Nicholson’s gutting goal in the final frame.
“That one stings, it hurts,” coach Trevor Large said after the game. “But hockey is a cruel game. These things happen. That was one of the ones that was a test for our team and see how we respond tomorrow.”
The Golden Griffins rose to the occasion and bested RIT in the second game of the weekend series, taking the game 3-2 in overtime. Senior Ryan Miotto played the hero with just 1:41 remaining in OT. Miotto’s goal was the Thorold, Ontario native’s third point of the night, notching two assists in the game as well.
RIT carried their momentum from the first game of the series, with Calvon Boots putting the Tigers on the board just over three minutes into the contest. Less than three minutes later, Canisius broke even with a power play goal from J.D. Pogue, his 3rd of the year.
The momentum swing continued with back to back goals from RIT’s Evan Miller and Canisius senior D-Man, David Melaragni. Miotto’s one-timer goal would come on a 4 on 4, sending the Griffins home with a win.
Large admired his team’s resilience, saying “It was a great resolve. The way we lost the game the night before, people might think that you won’t be ready or come out punching. We had the right energy and the right emotion, and we had control of it as well.”
Canisius will buckle up for a stretch of four games in five days with an Atlantic Hockey Association series at Mercyhurst. The series begins Feb. 10 with a 7 p.m. contest at the Mercyhurst Ice Center before finishing the following day with a 4 p.m. bout.