BURLINGTON, Vt. – Four power-play goals led the Niagara University men’s hockey team (1-3-0) to its first win of the 2004-05 season, defeating the University of Vermont (1-3-0), 6-1, Friday at Gutterson Fieldhouse, on the campus of Vermont.
Registering a goal and four points in the victory, senior captain Barret Ehgoetz (Kincardine, Ont.) led the Purple Eagles in the five-goal win over the Catamounts. With the four points, Ehgoetz moved into second place in College Hockey America history in career points, scoring 126 points thus far in his collegiate career. Ehgoetz also passed former Niagara forward Joe Tallari in career points, moving into fifth place in Purple Eagles’ history.
Ehgoetz was part of a three-goal first period in which Niagara converted three of its seven power-play opportunities.
"Our power play bailed us out, as we scored four power-play goals in the win," Niagara head coach Dave Burkholder said. "It was a very thorough effort."
Junior defenseman Andrew Lackner (Elmira, Ont.), who finished with a goal and an assist, led the breakout first period for the Purple Eagles, scoring his first goal of the season. Positioned at the left point, Lackner’s slap shot off a pass from linemate Pat Oliveto (Rochester, N.Y.) beat a screened Joe Fallon in the Vermont net at 5:21 of the first period.
At the 12:37 mark of the first period, Ehgoetz redirected a pass from teammate Justin Cross (Camarillo, Calif.) near the Catamounts’ goal crease, giving Niagara a 2-0 lead and scoring the second Purple Eagles’ power-play goal of the contest.
Just two second remaining in the first period, senior forward Ryan Gale (St. Catharines, Ont.) scored the first of his two goals in the game. On the power play, Gale followed a shot by Lackner and put the rebound low past Fallon at 19:58 of the first period, giving Niagara a 3-0 lead after the opening period.
After missing various scoring opportunities in the Purple Eagles’ first three games, Gale capitalized on his chances in Friday’s 6-1 win.
"It’s just one of those things were you just keep going," Gale said. "Even though I didn’t score (in the first three games), tonight I knocked in a couple and you go from there."
Gale tallied Niagara’s sixth and final goal, taking a back-handed pass from Ehgoetz and shooting the puck through the legs of Fallon.
After sophomore Kenny Macauley slipped the puck past Niagara junior goaltender Jeff Van Nynatten (Stratford, Ont.) at 14:02 of the middle period, taking advantage of a Vermont five-on-three man advantage, the Purple Eagles took a 3-1 lead into the final period.
Scoring his first goal of the season -- Niagara’s fourth power-play goal of the game -- was senior Kris Wiebe (Lloydminster, Alb.). Following a shot by freshman Travis Anderson (Coon Rapids, Minn.), which ricocheted off the pads of Fallon, Wiebe out-muscled a Vermont defenseman, knocking the rebound over the shoulder of Fallon at the 7:09 mark of the third period.
Oliveto scored Niagara’s fifth goal, followed by Gale’s second goal of the contest. Trailing the breakout by Purple Eagles freshman C.J. Tozzo (New Rochelle, N.Y.), Oliveto’s slap shot from the blue line beat Fallon high at 11:56 of the third.
Making 30 saves in his first win of the season, the play of Van Nynatten may be overlooked due to the five-goal margin of victory. Steady throughout the contest, Van Nynatten stopped several Catamount odd-man rushes in the second and third periods.
Fallon made 21 saves in the loss for Vermont, who outshot Niagara, 31-27, in the game.
Losing one-goal games to both UMass Lowell (Oc.t 9) and Maine (Oct. 15) earlier in the season, Ehgoetz remarked how Niagara needs to remain focused for Saturday’s second game of the two-game series against the Catamounts.
"It’s about time we got a win. We played well this year and it’s nice to get a win," Ehgoetz said. "We got to play well tomorrow night."
The Purple Eagles continue with Saturday’s game at Gutterson Fieldhouse against Vermont at 7 p.m.
