UConn Huskies Beaten at Canisius, 3-1

Friday, November 29

Buffalo, N.Y.

4:05 PM

University of Connecticut

Canisius

11/29/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey

Nov. 29, 2013

Final Stats

BUFFALO, N.Y. - The University of Connecticut hockey team dropped a 3-1 decision in game one of an Atlantic Hockey Association series with Canisius College Friday afternoon at the Buffalo Sports Arena. The Golden Griffins got 25 saves from Tony Capobianco in net in the win. The two teams will square off Saturday afternoon in the series finale.

Canisius (4-7-0, 3-3-0 AHA) struck quickly, opening the scoring at 2:02 in the first. The Huskies (4-5-1, 3-2-0 AHA) failed to clear the zone and Canisius senior Patrick Sullivan got loose for a break-away. Skating in one-on-one with Husky senior netminder Matt Grogan (Gilbert, Ariz.), Sullivan put it away glove side for a 1-0 lead in the game's opening minutes.

The Golden Griffins carried their 1-0 lead into the first intermission and led 9-8 on shots. The Huskies have trailed five times after the first period this season and are now 0-4-1 on the year.

UConn got the tying goal at 3:33 of the second, knotting the game at 1-1. Junior Jacob Poe (Arlington, Texas) blasted a shot on goal from the blue line with Capobianco making the initial save. The Huskies crashed the net and sophomore Shawn Pauly (Bellingham, Wash.) battled and banged home the rebound for his third goal on the year.

The Golden Griffs took back the lead at 12:17 on a great individual effort by left winger Braden Rigney. Rigney took a pass and split a pair of UConn defenders through the neutral zone, getting a break-away and burying one top-shelf, glove side past Grogan. The Huskies had a great look at a tying goal at 17:36 when sophomore Tyler Bouchard (Glastonbury, Conn.) got loose for a break-away but Capobianco came up with the glove save to keep it 2-1.

Canisius made it a two-goal deficit for UConn, striking quickly again this time at 1:27 in the third. Junior Doug Jessey carried the puck up the right wing and made a nice centering pass to a waiting Stephen Miller who buried it for a 3-1 lead.

The Huskies got a power play late in the third period with a chance to cut the lead to one. Sullivan was called for kneeing at 17:31 and UConn pulled Grogan with 57 second left for a 6-on-3 advantage. The Huskies got a great look but freshman Brent Norris (Ottawa, Ontario) was denied on the doorstep by Capobianco and a senior Billy Latta (West Chester, Pa.) shot at an open net went wide. UConn and finished the night 0-3 with the extra skater.

UConn out shot Canisius 11-7 in the third period and 26-22 for the game. The Huskies did kill off four Canisius power plays including a five-minute major in the third period. Senior Brant Harris (Estevan, Saskatchewan) was given a game misconduct for contact to the head at 11:49.

The Huskies and Golden Griffins will be back at it again on Saturday afternoon to wrap up the series. The puck will drop at 4:05 from Buffalo State Sports Arena.

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