CHALLENGING NON-CONFERENCE SLATE
• Canisius should be well prepared for the MAAC this season after playing the most difficult schedule in the country so far.
• According to Lax Power, the Griffs have the highest strength of schedule so far this season, just ahead of Notre Dame, North Carolina and Duke.
• Of the Griffs' seven non-conference games this season, four are against teams currently in the national rankings - No. 2 Cornell, No. 5 Denver, No. 11 Syracuse and No. 19 Albany.

A MAN-UP WITH GRAVINO
• Freshman Vince Gravino has quickly proven his worth at Canisius.
• The rookie is currently tied for the team lead with eight goals this season to go along with three assists for 11 points.
• On Tuesday, Gravino netted his first collegiate hat trick with all three tallies coming on an extra-man opportunity. He is the first Griff to score three man-up goals in a single game since Tom Hensel on March 24, 2007 against Wagner

SECOND-HALF BLUES
• Even against the most challenging schedule in the country, the Griffs have done a good job holding their own this season. However, a late surge has usually meant the difference.
• In the first half of games this year, Canisius is being outscored by only three goals (23-20).
• However, opponents have taken advantage in the second 30 minutes of action, outscoring the Griffs by 22 goals in the third and fourth quarters (40-18).

RAUTENSTRAUCH BECOMES OFFENSIVE FORCE
• One player that is taking advantage of the new rules that puts an emphasis on two-way midfielders is senior Joe Rautenstrauch.
• Primarily a defensive midfielder during his first three seasons at Canisius, Rautenstrauch has scored four goals in five games as a senior.
• Rautenstrauch went scoreless during the first 26 games of his career prior to the season.
• In addition to his four goals this season, Rautenstrauch is also tied for first on the team with 19 ground balls in 2013.

CANISIUS - VMI SERIES HISTORY
• The Griffs and Keydets are meeting for the 16th time. Canisius holds an 11-4 advantage in the all-time series.
• Canisius has won nine of the last 10 games in the series, which includes the 2008 MAAC Championship ­ a 14-5 Canisius win.
• The Griffs are 6-1 all-time at VMI, winning each of their last four games in Lexington.
• Last season, the Griffs earned a 13-11 victory against the Keydets. The win ignited a four-game winning streak for Canisius, which included both games of the 2012 MAAC Tournament.

ABOUT THE KEYDETS
• VMI is still in search of its first win of the 2013 season, entering the weekend at 0-6.
• The Keydets are coming off an 18-12 loss at Wagner on Tuesday.
• Russell East leads the team with 14 points on 12 goals and two assists. Bernie Mowbray ranks second with nine points on five goals and four assists.
• Gaston Ledford leads the Keydets at the faceoff X, winning 47.5 percent (58-122) of restarts.