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Canisius University Athletics

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Members of Canisius and RIT battle in front of the Canisius goal during game action at LECOM Harborcenter on Feb. 24, 2024
Lindy Feider
3
Winner RIT RIT 22-10-2, 18-7-1
2
Canisius CAN 11-19-4, 10-12-4
Winner
RIT RIT
22-10-2, 18-7-1
3
Final
2
Canisius CAN
11-19-4, 10-12-4
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 F
RIT RIT 1 0 2 3
Canisius CAN 1 0 1 2

Game Recap: Ice Hockey |

Hockey Tripped up by Tigers in Regular-Season Finale

Gianfranco Cassaro and Christian Catalano scored 2:25 apart late in the third period to break a 1-1 tie and lift No. 20 RIT to a 3-2 victory over Canisius in Atlantic Hockey Association action Saturday at LECOM Harborcenter in downtown Buffalo.
 
Matthew Wilde tallied the opening goal and added an assist for the visiting Tigers (22-10-2, 18-7-1 AHA), who closed out the regular season with a sweep of Canisius as it heads into the upcoming Atlantic Hockey Association Tournament as the top seed. Tommy Scarfone finished with 34 saves between the pipes for the visitors.
 
Graduate David Melaragni and freshman Matteo Giampa accounted for the two goals for the Golden Griffins (11-19-4, 10-12-4 AHA), who will be the No. 8 seed for the AHA Tournament. Freshman Ethan Robertson recorded 40 saves in goal for the home team.
 
Cassaro gave RIT its first lead of the game at the 14:57 mark of the third period with a power-play goal, beating Robertson with a wrist shot to the glove side from the top of the slot while the Tigers were on the power play to make it a 2-1 contest.
 
Catalano provided some breathing room with an insurance marker less than three minutes later, collecting a feed from Wilde on the rush and lifting it over the glove of Robertson from close range to provide the Tigers a 3-1 cushion.
 
Giampa pulled Canisius within one nearly a minute later as he drove to the net and put a backhand over the right pad of Scarfone to pull the Griffs within one. Canisius had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds as it had a 5-on-3 power-play opportunity for the final 28 seconds of regulation, but it was unable to net the equalizer, allowing the Tigers to escape with the one-goal victory.
 
Earlier in the contest, Melaragni opened the scoring with a power-play goal with 18:04 elapsed  in the first period, lifting a loose puck over Scarfone from just in front the RIT cage to give the Griffs the lead. Wilde brought the Tigers level with 18 seconds to play in the first, placing a wrist shot under the blocker of Robertson to tie the game at 1-1, setting the stage for the frantic final five-plus minutes of regulation.
 
POSTGAME COMMENTS GAME NOTES
• RIT outshot Canisius by a 43-36 margin for the contest, highlighted by 16-7 edge in the second period.
• Canisius was 1-for-7 on the power play while RIT was 1-for-6 with the man advantage.
• The Griffs played their 10th game of the season to be decided by a single goal and moved to 3-7 in those games with Saturday's setback.
• Canisius was held to two goals or fewer for the second straight contest as it slipped to 0-14-2 this season when that occurs.
• Giampa netted his team-leading 18th goal of the season during the third period. He finished thre regular season with points in three of the Griffs' last four games.  
•  Melaragni played in his 150th collegiate game on Saturday, becoming just the eighth player in the Division I era of the program to reach the milestone.
• Robertson recorded 40-or-more saves in a game for the second time this season with his 40-save effort on Saturday.
• Senior Griffin Loughran picked up a secondary assist on Melaragni's first-period goal, moving within two points of reaching the 100-point milestone for his collegiate career.
 
UP NEXT
Canisius has secured the No. 8 seed for the 2024 Atlantic Hockey Association Tournament. The Griffs will host No. 9 seed Mercyhurst in a single-game first round matchup at LECOM Harborcenter on March 2.

Tickets for the game will be available early next week. They can be purchased by calling the Canisius Ticket Office at 716-888-TIXX, visiting the tickets page at GoGriffs.com or at the ticket kiosk at the LECOM Harborcenter on gameday.
 
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