Canisius will host perennial college hockey power North Dakota in a two-game series at KeyBank Rink at HARBORCENTER during the first weekend in January of 2019, head coachannounced Thursday.The games are part of a home-and-home agreement between the two schools. Canisius will travel to Grand Forks, N.D. for two games against the Fighting Hawks during the 2019-20 campaign."North Dakota is one of the top college hockey programs in the country," Large said. "We welcome and relish the challenge to compete against an elite program, especially at the HARBORCENTER. I hope that the Buffalo hockey community will join us for what should be two highly-entertaining games next January."North Dakota has won the NCAA Division I championship a total of eight times and has sent 98 players to the NHL, including such greats as Jonathan Toews, Zach Parise, T.J. Oshie and former Sabre Drew Stafford."This is a tremendous opportunity for our hockey team and fans of college hockey in Western New York," Canisius Director of Athleticssaid. "North Dakota has a storied tradition in college hockey and their willingness to play Canisius on our home ice at HARBORCENTER is yet another example of the growth of Canisius hockey."The series will commence a big winter of college hockey in Western New York with the Frozen Four scheduled to make its second-ever appearance in Buffalo in April of 2019.Season tickets for the Griffs 2018-19 season, which will also include home games with Clarkson, Niagara and Air Force, go on sale Feb. 2 and can be purchased by calling 716-888-TIXX. Canisius Golden Griffin hockey season ticket holders will receive priority purchase opportunities for the 2019 Frozen Four.The series marks the second visit to the Nickel City by the Fighting Hawks to play the Golden Griffins and their first since the 2002-03 campaign. Canisius and North Dakota have played each other a total of seven times, with the most recent matchups coming during a two-game series in Grand Forks in October of 2016.