Canton, N.Y.—The Niagara hockey team closed out non-conference play in the second half of a home and home series with ECAC foe St. Lawrence. The Purple Eagles fell in overtime to Saints by a score of 4-3.
Game Recap
First Period
- The first period did not yield a goal until 16:41 into the period when trio of Olivier Gauthier, Christian Gorscak and Jason Pineo broke out of their own zone. Gauthier raced up the middle of the ice and took a wrister that the goalie got a piece of but it trickled over the goal line. It was Gauthier’s sixth goal of the season.
- The Saints could not respond in the opening period on any of their eight shots.
- St. Lawrence was awarded a power play in the first period, but the Purple Eagles limited them to just one shot.
Second Period
- The second period played out similarly to the opening period in which neither team scored until late in the period.
- While on the power play, the Saints scored on the power play at the 17:32 mark of the period.
- Just 22 seconds later, the Purple Eagles responded to take the lead back. Albin Nilsson was the beneficiary of Carter Randklev shot that rang off the crossbar. Nilsson tapped the puck into the net on the rebound for his seventh goal of the year, he now has points in his last four games and goals in three of his last four. Casey Carreau tallied the secondary assist on the play.
- Niagara led after two periods, despite shots being favor of the Saints, 19-15.
Third Period
- Just 3:04 into the third period, St. Lawrence scored to tie the game at two.
- At the 10:43 mark of the period, Nilsson was given a game misconduct and the Purple Eagles were tasked with a five minute penalty kill. St. Lawrence scored at the 12:37 mark and the Purple Eagles challenged but it was deemed a good goal. Niagara was forced to go on the 5-3 PK for two minutes.
- After killing off the 5-3 power play, while still down a man, Pineo took a flip pass from Glebs Prohorenkovs. Pineo went to work and beat two defensemen and then beat the goalie with a highlight reel goal.
- Niagara held off the Saints for the final 4:31 and the game went to overtime.
Overtime
- Both teams had multiple chances in the overtime time period as shots were 3-2 in favor of the Saints.
- After a Purple Eagle scoring chance by Noah Carlin was turned away, the Saint countered on an odd-man rush. They scored with 32 seconds left on the clock to win the game in overtime.
Niagara Notes
- Niagara finished the season with six wins in non-conference play which is the most wins in non-conference play since the 2008-09 season.
- Chad Veltri made 32 saves and now has a save percentage of .915 which is the second best in Atlantic Hockey. He is fourth in the AHA in goals against average with a 2.63.
- Nilsson is on a four game point streak and has six points in those four games including four goals.
- Carreau is also on a four game assist streak and he had six assists in his last four games.
- Jordan Wishman blocked a game high five shots while the Purple Eagles had 12 blocked shots.
Up Next
- The Purple Eagles have 14 games left on the season all of which are Atlantic Hockey contests. Currently the Purple Eagles are fourth place in Atlantic Hockey.
- Niagara is home next weekend as they host Bentley Friday and Saturday. Niagara swept the Falcons earlier this season at Bentley.
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