HOCKEY: Ferris' Opponent This Weekend Is Canisius ... Here's A Quick Look

BIG RAPIDS - As you know, Ferris State University officially begins its ice hockey season this weekend against Canisius in New York.

The teams play this evening and Saturday evening and the Griffins look like they're ready to try and score a win over a team from one of the top college hockey conferences in the nation as they welcome the Central Collegiate Hockey Association's Bulldogs, coached by Bob Daniels (pictured). Both games this weekend are scheduled to begin at 7: 05 p.m. from Buffalo State Sports Arena in Buffalo, N.Y.

Here is a scouting report on Canisius as put together by Athletics Communications at Ferris:

Canisius: Dave Smith (Ohio State, 1992), 5th season, 45-82-17 (.372) - (1-1-0 vs. Ferris State). Smith became the Griffins' third head coach in April 2005 after serving the previous three seasons as an associate coach at Mercyhurst.

Scouting Canisius: The Griffs' return 22 letterwinners from last season's squad, which includes 87 percent of their scoring production and all three goaltenders. The top six points leaders from last season's squad return, highlighted by senior forward Jason Weeks (14-25=39, 36 GP) along with junior forward Cory Conacher (12-23=35, 37 GP) and senior forward Josh Heidinger (9-24=33, 34 GP). Senior Andrew Loewen (9-7-4, 2.81 GAA, .919sv%) and sophomore Dan Morrison (6-9-2, 2.97 GAA, .908sv%) return as CC's top goaltenders.

This is from the Canisius Web site:

RETURNING OFFENSIVE FORCE
• The Griffs return four players in Jason Weeks, Cory Conacher, Josh Heidinger and Dave Kostuch that all posted at least 30 points during the 2008-09 season.
• It marks the first time since moving to Division I that Canisius returns four players that had posted at least 30 points the previous season.
• Canisius is also one of just four schools in the country this season to return four 30-point scorers. The three other schools are top-ranked Denver, No. 8 Yale and RIT.
• In total, Canisius returns 87 percent of its scoring from last season and all three goaltenders.

CONTINUING THE TREND
• One trend that the Griffs hope to continue from the 2008-09 season is its ability to step up in the bigger games.
• Last season, Canisius' season-opening victory against Ferris State marked the first in the program's history that the Griffs defeated a school from one of the four "power" conferences.
• The Griffs followed that victory with a win against an ECAC school (Clarkson) and a pair of victories against a nationally-ranked team (Air Force) - both first in the program's history.

Should be a fun series to see if Ferris can go on the road and steal a win or two.