Canisius Owns Niagara

While I was busy this weekend, it seems the Ice Griffs went into the Buffalo State Arena and beat the Purple Eagles, yeah suck on that Niagara. You think you're so good and you'll just waltz in and beat up on a average hockey team, ok maybe a bad hockey team, well no, this is Canisius Hockey. Plus Canisius really wants to win this battle of the bridge series, showing who is the more dominant local small catholic school athletic program. It now stands at 11-3. A complete whitewash, and if they involved academics, Canisius would clean Niagara's clock as well. Really the Ice Griffs beat Niagara, Niagara was 10-4-1 while Canisius was 3-10-4. Mismatch on paper, thats why they play these games.

Our boy Josh Heidinger had 3 points along with 2 goals, his 8th and 9th on the season to lead the Griffs. Andrew Loewen made 37 stops, 15 in the 3rd as Niagara tried to tie up the game. Les Reaney was a real good sport in accumulating 10 minutes in penalties in the game, giving the Griffs 3 power plays. There were over 170o people in attendance setting a new record for the BSC Arena. I've been there its a nice small place for hockey. If you want to see some ok College Hockey head down there, there are no bad seats and you can get right up to the glass. Good for the kids.

Anyway complete ownage by the Griffs on the purple eagles. Whats a purple eagle anyway.

Canisius teams that can sometime win

Well not all the athletic squads are as sucktasic as the mens BB squad. The ladies aren't that bad. The win from time to time, but yesterday dropped a tough one to Loyola on the road, 55-53. The Griffs picked a bad time to let a team take a 6-0 run at the end of the game, to cost them a conference victory. Britt Russell led the team with 16 points and 6 rebounds and is showing to be one of the go to ladies on the squad along with Amanda Cavo (who had 9 points). Ellie Radke seems to be working in with Buetow to have some depth inside. Things look pretty positive for the Lady Griffs down the road, as they will only get better with more games under their belt.

Next Game 12/15 at 2pm against St Bonaventure.

The Hockey team had a strange result over the weekend. They went into Air Force and tied both games at 3-3. Mmm whats the odds, you play someone twice in a row and get the same result? Mmm, I guess they are pretty even teams. On Friday, they jumped out early 2-0, Air Force came back to take the lead 3-2, and the Griffs stormed to tie it late in the third. Thats showing some heart right? It would be better if they showed better defense, but whatever. A tie is a tie. Weeks(4), Rex(2) and Scarsella(5) get the goals for the Griffs, who was the number 1 star as well. Andrew Loewen made 32 stops in the tie. The Air Force goalie only had to make 17 stops.

On Saturday, the Griffs had to come back from behind the entire game to finally cause a draw. Air Force got out to a 2-0 lead, Canisius tied it. Air Force Scored again, Canisius scored again. The teams were scoreless in the third and overtime. Good fight shown this weekend on the road against a very good team. Maybe the season is turning around for the Griffs, when conference play ramps up and they need some wins down the stretch. Forsman(4), Kasch(6) and Weeks(5) scored for the Griffs. While Andrew Loewen, made 40 stops on the day. To really make these ties all about him.

The Griffs are now 3-10-4 on the year and don't play next til 12/30 against Niagara.

While I was out (part 3)

(a random shot of downtown Philly)

It was the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, but that didn't mean that our beloved Canisius College Athletic teams were on Holiday. The big 3 were in action and except for the ladies things didn't go so well.

The Men continued their march for a 0 win season. With a 70-63 loss to Long Island on Saturday. Willie Hassell led the way with 19 points, FrankTurner and Robinson both were 2nd with 11 points a piece. Tomas Vazquez Simmons continued his season long block party with 7 blocks in the game. His presence inside of late with 15 blocks in the last two games, earned him MAAC Co rookie of the week. Well the the obvious players are coming forward so far with Frank Turner being the playmaker, leading in assists and turnovers. Vazquez Simmons is the man in the middle with 20 blocks in 4 games and only 1 start. And Elton Frazier is the all around man. Leading the team in rebounds and shooting percentage. But they need more production from everyone if they want to make this a season.


The Women continued their solid play against similar opponents. With a 70-62 win over Buffalo on Saturday. They are now 3-1 with their lone loss to West Virginia. Amanda Cavo continues to be the one leading the way for the Lady Griffs with 16 points. Russell with 15, Drysdale with 14 and Buetow with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Now thats what I call all around scoring. Plus they shot 48% for the game now thats some good shooting. The ladies are positioning themselves well for the MAAC run later in the season, after some non conference games to make them better. I like what I'm seeing from Terry Zeh and the Lady Griffs.

The Hockey team on the other hand, went to Oxford Oh, to play the Number 1 team in the country Miami Redhawks, and they promptly got beaten soundly both games. On friday they were a little competitive losing only 4-0, getting outshot 33-15. The game on saturday, oh boy, talk about not in the contest. The Redhawks pasted the Griffs 11-1, with Eric Rex (1) getting the only Griff goal on the night. The Griffs were outshot on the night 41-10. Oooo thats bad. The back to back losses move the Griffs to 2-9-2 on the season.

The mens teams aren't doing so well this year. So keep it up ladies.

Ice Griffs drop a pair in Springfield

The ice griffs, went into Springfield, Ma this weekend to take on American International for a pair of games and lost both of them. American International sounds like a phony made up school for a movie.

On Friday they dropped the first game one 3-1, with Josh Heidinger scoring the only goal for the Griffs on Friday. It is the 5th goal on the season for Heidinger who seems to be the only real threat on the Griffs night in night out so far this season. Andrew Loewen made 23 saves in the loss. And according to the box score, the Griffs had an empty net for almost 4 minutes of the game and AIC didn't score. Mmmm, maybe the Griffs should just stick 6 skaters out there and see what happens.

On Saturday, the result wasn't much different. Getting out to a 0-3 start and finally losing 4-2 to AIC. Derek Danowski and yes Josh Heidinger scored for the Griffs. The Griffs fought back to 3-2 until AIC iced the game with a Empty netter. Luker let in 3 goals on 11 shots and was pulled for Loewen in the 2nd. Who came in and didn't let any goals in, but also only had 6 shots in 2 periods. The Griffs obviously locked things down during the game, but it was a little too late to win the game.

This drops the Griffs to 2-7-2 overall and 2-5-1 in the league, which places them dead last. Josh Heidinger is the leading scorer with 6 goals and 12 points. And both goalies have identical stats so neither is better then each other. Their stats are also not so good, probably a reason why the Griffs are hanging in the basement.

Next weekend the Griffs head to Miami (oh) to play a pair against the 11-1 Redhawks. Ooo boy, talk about a bad weekend coming.