By J.J. Pavlick | Elmont, NY | November 5, 2026 |
The Pioneers return to Martire Family Arena following a split with No. 15/13 Cornell, looking to build momentum against the Golden Griffins before a challenging trip to West Point to face No. 19 Army.
FAIRFIELD, CT — Sacred Heart men’s hockey returns to Martire Family Arena this weekend for an Atlantic Hockey America matchup against the Canisius Golden Griffins. Coming off an impressive split against nationally ranked Cornell, the Pioneers have an opportunity to protect their home ice, build some consistency, and gain valuable momentum before heading to West Point next weekend.
The two-game series begins Friday, November 6, at 7 p.m., with the second meeting scheduled for Saturday, November 7, at 6 p.m.
On paper, this is a matchup Sacred Heart should feel confident about. The Pioneers have won six of the last seven meetings against Canisius and swept the Golden Griffins last season. They have also been perfect against Canisius at Martire Family Arena, holding a 4-0 record at their home rink.
But there are reasons not to overlook this weekend’s opponent, who will enter the weekend 3-4-1 and 0-0-0 in AHA play this season; they came in off a 3-2 OT loss to Penn State.
Sacred Heart enters the series with some questions to answer, particularly in the faceoff circle and along the blue line following the departure of Taos Jordan. The Pioneers have shown they can compete with quality opponents, but they will need a more complete effort to avoid giving Canisius opportunities to take control.
Canisius Brings an Offense That Can Capitalize
The Golden Griffins enter the weekend at 3-4-1, having faced a challenging nonconference schedule that included Ferris State, Long Island, Clarkson, and Penn State.
Canisius has averaged 2.63 goals per game while allowing 3.25. That defensive number is something Sacred Heart will look to exploit, particularly with the offensive weapons available to the Pioneers.
Senior forward Rhys Chiddenton leads the Golden Griffins with three goals and six points. FJ Buteau and Noah Quinn have also been productive, each contributing five points.
Chiddenton is particularly worth watching. He has scored in three of his last five games and demonstrated an ability to deliver in important moments, including an overtime winner against Clarkson.
Canisius has also found a promising young goaltender in freshman Jack Lisson. The October Atlantic Hockey America Rookie of the Month enters the weekend with a 2.45 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage.
For Sacred Heart, getting traffic in front of Lisson and making him work through rebounds will be important. Simply putting shots on net will not be enough. The Pioneers need to create second-chance opportunities and make Canisius defend for extended stretches.
The Pioneers Have Offensive Firepower of Their Own
Sacred Heart has averaged three goals per game this season, led by a group that has shown the ability to produce from different areas of the lineup.
Diego Buttazzoni leads the Pioneers with five goals and seven points, while his brother Mirko has eight points, including seven assists. Gavin Bryant has also contributed seven points, giving Sacred Heart several options to generate offense.
Aiden VanRooyan has been another important contributor from the blue line, while Ethan Semeniuk enters the weekend with some momentum after scoring the game-winning goal against Cornell.
Semeniuk’s performance against the Big Red earned him Atlantic Hockey America Rookie of the Week honors. He was the only Pioneer to record a point in both games against Cornell, a sign of the consistency Sacred Heart needs from its younger players.
The Pioneers have also demonstrated an ability to respond when trailing. They rallied against Holy Cross and Cornell, showing they are capable of staying in games even when things don’t go according to plan.
That resilience is encouraging, but relying on late comebacks is not a sustainable approach. Against Canisius, Sacred Heart needs to establish its game early rather than spend the final period trying to dig itself out of a hole.
Faceoffs Remain a Major Concern
If there is one area Sacred Heart needs to address immediately, it is the faceoff circle.
The Pioneers have struggled to consistently win draws, and the numbers are difficult to ignore. Through eight games, Sacred Heart has won 214 of 509 faceoffs, good for a 42.0 percent success rate.
The problem became especially noticeable against Cornell.
In the two-game series against the Big Red, Sacred Heart won just 54 of 154 faceoffs, a 35.1 percent success rate. That means Cornell controlled nearly two-thirds of the draws over the weekend.
Those numbers put additional pressure on the defense and make it more difficult for the Pioneers to control possession, particularly in their own zone.
Gavin Bryant, Cole Galata, and Emmanuel Vermette will be important in this area. Vermette has shown some success in the circle, but Sacred Heart needs a collective improvement rather than relying on one or two players to carry the responsibility.
Interestingly, Canisius has not been particularly dominant in this department either. The Golden Griffins are winning just 44.3 percent of their faceoffs.
That creates an opportunity for Sacred Heart, but it also makes the opening draws particularly important. Whichever team can establish some consistency in the circle could gain a significant advantage in possession and territorial play.
The Pioneers cannot afford another weekend where they spend so much time chasing the puck and game; they want to get off to a fast start and set the tone despite their tone setter leaving for the ECHL.
Life Without Taos Jordan: Another Challenge for the Blue Line
Sacred Heart will also have to adjust following the departure of defenseman Taos Jordan, who left the program and returned to the ECHL with the Jacksonville Icemen.
Jordan appeared in eight games with the Pioneers, recording one goal and one assist while finishing with a plus-five rating and 18 blocked shots.
His departure removes another option from a defensive group that already has plenty of responsibility. Jordan’s physical presence and willingness to block shots were valuable assets, particularly against opponents capable of generating sustained offensive pressure.
As of this preview, Sacred Heart has not announced a replacement for Jordan’s roster spot. That leaves the Pioneers heading into the Canisius series with one fewer player on the roster.
It does not mean Sacred Heart will put fewer skaters on the ice, but it does mean one fewer available option and less depth to work with.
That could become more noticeable as the schedule gets tougher. With two games against Canisius followed by a road series against Army, the Pioneers will need their remaining defensemen to handle the additional workload.
The timing is not ideal, especially with the team preparing to face one of the hottest programs in Atlantic Hockey.
Goaltending Could Decide the Weekend
Another matchup worth watching is between the pipes, as both teams have solid netminders who can steal games at any time.
Sacred Heart received an outstanding performance from Jack Spicer in the 3-2 victory over Cornell. Making his first collegiate start, the junior stopped 42 of 44 shots and gave the Pioneers the opportunity to complete their comeback.
Through two appearances, Spicer has posted a 1.96 goals-against average and a .948 save percentage, making him an important option for head coach C.J. Marottolo.
On the other side, Canisius has a promising freshman in Jack Lisson, who has already established himself as one of the conference’s better young goaltenders with a 2.45 goals-against average and .921 save percentage.
The question for Sacred Heart is whether Spicer gets another opportunity to build on his performance or whether the coaching staff turns to another option.
Either way, goaltending will be a major factor. Both teams have enough offensive talent to make opponents pay for defensive mistakes, and the ability to get timely saves could determine which side takes the weekend.
The Betting Line: Sacred Heart Favored at Home
The early betting market favors the Pioneers heading into Friday’s opener.
At the time of checking, BetMGM listed Sacred Heart at approximately -200 on the moneyline, with Canisius at +154. The puck line had Sacred Heart at -1.5 (+110) and Canisius at +1.5 (-143), with the over/under set at 5.5 goals.
The market reflects Sacred Heart’s home-ice advantage and recent history against Canisius, but the faceoff numbers and Jordan’s departure are reasons to be cautious about expecting an easy weekend.
The Pioneers have the offensive ability to win both games, but their defensive depth and ability to control possession remain legitimate concerns.
Odds are subject to change and reflect the market at the time of publication.
Looking Ahead: A Trip to West Point Awaits
The Canisius series is important for more than just the two games on the schedule.
Once the weekend concludes, Sacred Heart heads to West Point on November 13 and 14 for a matchup against the No. 19 Army West Point Black Knights.
Army has emerged as one of the early surprises in college hockey, earning a spot in the USCHO national rankings. The Black Knights will present a difficult challenge, particularly if Sacred Heart continues to struggle in the faceoff circle.
The Pioneers will need to use this weekend to clean up the details, find consistency, and make sure their defensive structure is ready for the challenge ahead.
Taking care of business at home against Canisius would provide some much-needed momentum before facing a ranked opponent on the road.
Bad Dawg Sports Prediction: A Series Split
I like Sacred Heart’s chances in Friday’s opener. Playing at Martire Family Arena, coming off a ranked win against Cornell and facing a Canisius team that has struggled defensively, the Pioneers have enough offensive talent to come away with a victory.
I expect a tighter game Saturday. Canisius should make adjustments after Friday’s meeting, and Sacred Heart’s struggles at the faceoff dot could become a bigger factor as the weekend progresses.
Game 1 – Friday, November 6: Sacred Heart 3, Canisius 1
Game 2 – Saturday, November 7: Canisius 3, Sacred Heart 2
Our prediction: A split at Martire Family Arena, with both teams taking a game. We can only go based on how the team has performed this season, and with losing Taos to the ECHL, we can only conclude the pattern continues. *This is just our opinion and doesn’t mean the games will go exactly this way; we take the information we got inside and the news that hits the wire to make the most informed opinions we can on what we think the outcome will be. If you chose to gamble, do so responsibly.*
Sacred Heart gets the opening win, but Canisius responds Saturday to leave Fairfield with a split.
The Pioneers then turn their attention to West Point, where the challenge gets considerably tougher against No. 19 Army on November 13 and 14.
For Sacred Heart, the message is simple: Win the battles in the faceoff circle, protect the blue line, and take advantage of home ice. The opportunity is there, but the Pioneers will have to earn it.
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