Box Score BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Sacred Heart men's hockey team scored twice in the first five minutes of the third period at HARBORCENTER Friday night against the Canisius Colden Griffins to break a 2-2 tie, then held on for a 4-3 win.
Canisius (10-16-5, 10-10-5 AHC) led 1-0 on a Ralph Cuddemi breakaway goal with 10:27 to play in the first period. Sacred Heart (11-16-4, 9-13-3 AHC) tied the game 1-1 with 5:01 remaining in the opening period. Freshman Zach De Concilys one-timed a pass from Alec Butcher for a power play goal right in front of Golden Griffins goaltender Simon Hofley. The Pioneers took the lead 39 seconds before intermission as Zach Luczyk let loose a sharp-angle shot past Hofley to make the score 2-1.
The Golden Griffins quickly tied the game 2-2 as Ryan Schmelzer scored nine seconds into the second period. The Pioneers killed three penalties in the middle frame, as Brett Magnus stopped the next 15 shots he faced to keep the game tied heading into the third. Sacred Heart broke the tie 2:45 into the third period on a power play goal by Evan Jasper. Less than two minutes later, Jordan Minello put a backhand shot over Hofley's shoulder and into the net to give SHU a 4-2 lead with 15:46 to play.
Canisius cut the deficit to one with 12:08 to play in the third period on Shane Conacher's 19th goal of the season, making the score 4-3 with a blast from the blue line. Magnus made the lead hold up with six saves in the third period as SHU hung on for the victory.
The victory was SHU's first conference win since Jan. 16 at Mercyhurst. The Pioneers outshot Canisius 36-33 for the game, and was 2-for-7 on the power play. The Golden Griffins were 0-for-6 on the man advantage. Magnus made 30 saves as Hofley had 32 for Canisius.
The two teams wrap up their weekend series Saturday night at 7:35 p.m.
FIRST PERIOD
- SHU outshot Canisius 15-9 in the period.
- The Pioneers' first power play came with 9:47 remaining. SHU had three shots on goal but didn't score.
- De Concilys' goal was his third of the season and second on the power play. Fellow freshman Liam Clare had the secondary assist for his 10th point of the year.
- Butcher assisted on both first period goals for the Pioneers for his sixth multi-point game of the season.
- Luczyk's goal was his 10th of the season and his third in the last four games.
SECOND PERIOD
- The Pioneers killed two Canisius power plays in the first five minutes of the period. SHU was a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill in the second period.
- Hofley stopped four straight shots from Erlich Doerksen and Jordan Minello with 13:00 to play
- SHU was held without a shot on goal on its only power play of the second, which came with 3:45 to play.
- Magnus made 16 saves in the period, doubling his total from the first period.
THIRD PERIOD
- Jasper's go-ahead goal was his ninth of the season, and his sixth point in the last seven games.
- Minello's goal was his ninth of the season as well and his first since Jan. 16 at Mercyhurst.
- The Pioneers were 1-for-4 on the power play in the third, holding Canisius scoreless on three power plays.
