By: Connor Pohlman
The Canisius Golden Griffins were not able to finish the job in a back and forth contest as the team fell to the Manhattan Jaspers 14–11 on Saturday in Riverdale, N.Y. The contest was one of the better all-around games that Canisius has played this year, and should certainly be something that the team will build off of.
Canisius (2–8) got off to a strong start, taking a 3–0 lead, but Manhattan (4–5) responded quickly, stringing together four unanswered goals to take a lead. Jaxon Fridge closed out the first-quarter scoring with his second of the season to make it a 4–4 game after one.
Sophomore Hunter Parucki notched a goal and added two assists for the Golden Griffins. Senior Jacob Buck scored two goals while three players — junior Ethan Coughlin, sophomore Andrew Schermerhorn and Fridge — all finished with a goal and an assist each.
Jake Nicolosi and Sean MacKinney both finished with five points on four goals and an assist to pace the Jaspers. Kyle Gucwa chipped in two goals and an assist while Liam Walshe scored twice. Brandon Krebs finished with seven saves between the pipes for Manhattan.
Freshman Johnny Richiusa was 19-of-29 at the faceoff X and recorded a season-high 14 ground balls. He also recorded his first career goal, opening the scoring just eight seconds into the contest, igniting a three-goal spurt for the Griffs that gave them a 3–0 lead less than four minutes into the contest.
The teams traded goals in the second quarter as Manhattan opened the frame with consecutive tallies, only to see Coughlin and freshman Patrick Mitchell answer for the Griffs to send the teams into the locker room tied at six.
MacKinney and Nicolosi scored the first two goals of the third quarter to put the Jaspers in front, 8–6, starting a stretch that saw the teams trade goals for a majority of the second half before Nicolosi notched a pair of goals exactly two minutes apart in the later stages of the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach for Canisius.
“We knew it was going to be a back-and-forth affair throughout and we just couldn't close the gap at the end when we got within one late in the game,” head coach Mark Miyashita said. “It was encouraging to see some plays being made by guys who were thrust into bigger roles today, but we need more. We need more from all of us and it starts with me. I've got to do a better job to prepare these guys and get them ready.”
The Canisius Golden Griffins will look to get back on track next week when they return home to the Demske Sports Complex to take on MAAC rival Quinnipiac on April 9. The contest is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. and will be shown on ESPN+.
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