Connecticut (3-4-1, 2-3-0 AHA) broke open the game with four second-period goals en route to a 9-3 win over Canisius(4-6-1, 2-4-1) Friday night at the Buffalo State Sports Arena.
B.J. Bayers scored the game’s first goal at 15:24 of the first period when he took a pass from Charles Solberg and slid it into the left corner past Golden Griffin goalie Max Buetow. Brian Burns got the next goal with 58 seconds remaining in the first period when he picked up a loose puck and sent it past Buetow.
Matt Scherer got the first goal of the second period when his shot from the right side hit off the inside of the right post and into the net. The Huskies scored two power-play goals after Scherer’s goal before Bayers notched his second of the game just before the end of the second period.
Connecticut extended its lead to 8-0 before the Griffs scored three straight goals in the third period. After junior forward Billy Irish-Baker scored his fifth goal of the year, freshman defenseman Kevin Kozlowski got the first collegiate at the 8:55 mark of the third period. Junior forward Joey Coccimiglio continued his strong play by tallying his fourth goal of the year, which gives him eight points in five games.
Buetow (1-2-1) took the loss for the Griffs and was replaced for the third period by freshman Ryan Hatch.
Junior forward Scott McDougall had a career-high five points in the game for Connecticut, leading nine Huskies who had at least two points in the game. Connecticut goalie Jon Anderson stopped 14 of the 17 shots he faced en route to picking up his third win of the season.
The nine goals allowed by Canisius were the most since allowing 11 goals against MSU-Mankato on Oct. 23, 1998.
Canisius and Connecticut play again on Saturday night at the Buffalo State Sports Arena. Faceoff is set for 7 p.m.
