Looking forward: Canisius hockey prepares for new season
By Cecil Milligan, Sports Reporter
As October begins, that means one thing: hockey season. The Canisius Golden Griffins will take the ice for the first time this season on Friday at the LECOM HarborCenter in downtown Buffalo, as they look ahead after a frustrating finish last year.
Last year, the Griffs wrapped up their schedule with a 17–15–2 record. They went 12–12–2 against conference opponents, capped off with an exciting 5–1 win over rival Niagara. They ended the regular season at seventh in the Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) conference standings with 39 points, 9 points ahead of Niagara. Their postseason aspirations, however, ended in the first round of the AHA tournament after they fell 5–2 to the Mercyhurst Lakers, following an impressive performance by Lakers goaltender Charles–Edward Gravel.
With the lowly Lakers besting the Blue and Gold, it was not the playoff push head coach Trevor Large had in store for his veteran team.
“Any time your season ends, it’s always abrupt. This one feels very abrupt. This time of year it’s really less about hockey and more about people, and we got 13 guys that have potentially played their last collegiate game,” said Large following the postseason loss.
Following the postseason, the Golden Griffins had to say goodbye to their captain, senior Oliver Tarr, who started his professional career by signing with the East Coast Hockey League’s (ECHL) Wichita Thunder before moving on to the Greenville Swamp Rabbits. Defenseman Robert Kincaid also signed with Wichita at the conclusion of the 2025–26 season. Additionally, Canisius parted ways with goaltender Petter Wickström Stumer, who elected to continue his career at the University of Maine.
However, the Griffs have no shortage of newcomers. One of the most notable additions to Canisius’ roster for the upcoming season is freshman goaltender Jack Lisson, who spent last season playing for the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) North Bay Battalion. In the regular season, he posted a .913 save percentage with a 24–11–3 record, followed by a 2.64 goals-against average (GAA) and .924 save percentage in eight postseason appearances. Lisson also attended the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Nashville Predators’ development camp over the summer.
The refreshed roster also features sophomore transfer goaltender Kolby Hay, along with three Merrimack transfers: forward Joey Henneberry and defensemen Trent Ballentyne and Matthew Campbell. Incoming freshmen include forwards Ryan Franks, Zach Homer, Nico Grabas and Ben Brunelle.
To fill the leadership hole, the Griffs named senior forward Trey Funk as their captain for the upcoming season, with forward Walter Zacher and defenseman Carter Patterson serving as alternate captains. In his past three seasons playing for Canisius, Funk has skated in 105 games and has recorded 34 points, with 17 goals and 17 assists.
When asked about being named captain for the season, Funk said, “It’s a huge honor to be named captain and to have the opportunity to wear the ‘C’ for this team. I’m excited for what we can accomplish together and cannot wait to see the success we have as a group this season.”
“He embodies everything it means to be a Griff. His work ethic, accountability and commitment to our hockey program make Trey the perfect person to lead our locker room,” added Large.
A notable watch for the Griffs this season is Zacher, who joined the squad last year from Robert Morris. The Buffalo native finished second in the conference in goals (19) and goals per game (.59) only to Sacred Heart standout Felix Trudeau. Zacher added 12 apples for a combined 31 points, which put him second on the Canisius squad behind former teammate Grant Porter.
As a result of his performance last season, the assistant captain was named to the AHA Preseason All-Conference team.
With additions in net and new leadership, the Griffs hope to make a deeper push in the playoffs this season. Canisius will open their season with a two–game nonconference slate against Ferris State at home this upcoming Friday and Saturday.
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