LEWISTON -- The final regular season meeting between Canisius and Niagara is set for 7 p.m. at Dwyer. Niagara has a 2-0 edge in the season-series, winning on Thursday at Buffalo State Ice arena, 3-0.
Niagara's top line has been its strong point all season as senior Bryan Haczyk leads the nation in goals (27) while senior Paul Zanette is second (25).
The Golden Griffins, meanwhile, are hitting a skid at the worst possible time of the season. With three games left in the regular season, Canisius is on a four-game losing streak and has been shutout for the last three games -- the first time that has happened in program history.
Check back for updates throughout the game.
Final: Canisius ends it's four-game losing streak with a 6-3 win over Niagara.
Third period
8:52 p.m: The third period is just starting.
12:52 left: Niagara inches back into the game as a goal by Clark MacLean makes it 5-3.
41.2 seconds left: Scarsella scores an empty-netter for a 6-3 Canisius lead.
Second period
18:44 left: Canisius takes a 3-0 lead when Patrick Sullivan put in a rebound off an initial shot by Erix Rex. Niagara changes goaltenders, taking out junior starter Chris Noonan for freshman Cody Campbell.
12:50 left: And the goals keep coming for the Griffs, who take a 4-0 lead on a goal from Preston Shupe, his ninth of the year.
12:02 left: Niagara gets on the board with a short-handed goal by Scott Arnold. Canisius holds a 4-1 lead.
11:13 left: The Griffs get one back with a power play goal by Chris Forsman for 5-1 lead.
7:47 left: Scoring keeps coming this period as Niagara's Ryan Rashid nabs a power play goal to make it 5-2.
1:43: The penalties are starting to add up for both teams as the cheap-shot portion of the series begins.
End of the period: Canisius leads, 5-2. Niagara will have 17 seconds of power play time left when the third begins. Ben Danford picked up an assist during the period to give him the most points by a rookie defender in Canisius hockey history while tying him for most assists by a defender.
First period
7:06 p.m.: Puck drop!
13:57 left: Canisius goes up, 1-0 on a goal Taylor Law. And the drought is over for the Griffs. That goal ended a scoreless stretch of 186 minutes, 17 seconds.
6:43 left: Both teams have gone 0-for-1 on the power play this period. The Griffs still hold a 1-0 lead.
5:18 left: Canisius takes a 2-0 lead on a power play goal from Vincent Scarsella. That ends an 0-for-31 streak for the Griffs on the power play.
End of the first: Canisius leads, 2-0. Freshman Ben Danford has an assist on both Canisius goals, giving him 19 on the season -- one shy of tying the program record for assists by a defender in a season. Meanwhile his 21 points this season ties him with Carl Hudson for points by a rookie defender.
--- Amy Moritz
