BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Niagara University men’s hockey team (2-3-0) swept the University of Vermont (1-4-0) Saturday, defeating the Catamounts, 3-2, at Gutterson Fieldhouse.
In the two wins, Niagara junior goaltender Jeff Van Nynatten (Stratford, Ont.) made a combined 64 saves, including a total of 19 saves in the third period of both Friday's and Saturday's game.
With the score tied 2-2 entering the final period, senior forward Ryan Gale (St. Catharines, Ont.) scored his third goal of the two-game series. Off a throw towards the net by senior defenseman Ryan Carrigan (Burlington, Ont.), Gale tipped the puck into the roof of the net scoring his third goal of the season.
Vermont took a 2-0 lead in the first period after power-play goals by freshman Mike Arcieri and junior Jeff Corey. After Van Nynatten made an initial save on a shot by Catamount leading scorer Scott Misfud, Arcieri was waiting just outside the crease, slipping the puck under the left pad of Van Nynatten at 2:10 of the first period.
Corey, left open on the backside of the net, one-timed a cross-ice pass from Vermont captain Jamie Sifers, beating an outstretched Van Nynatten to score his first goal of the season, making the score 2-0 Vermont at 11:02 of the opening period.
Niagara scored two power-play goals to tie the game at 2-2 following the first period.
Scoring his first goal of the season was sophomore forward Sean Bentivoglio (Thorold, Ont.). After receiving an outlet pass from linemate Aaron Clarke (Peterborough, Ont.), Bentivoglio beat Vermont goaltender Travis Russell high into the net on an one-on-one opportunity. Freezing Russell while cradling the puck and showing tremendous speed on the break, Bentivoglio tucked the puck into the roof of the net at the 12:03 mark of the first period, cutting the Catamount lead to one goal.
Sophomore Pat Oliveto (Rochester, N.Y.) tied the game with just 18 seconds remaining in the first period. Oliveto, who had a goal and an assist in Friday’s 6-1 Niagara win, hit a heavy slap shot from the blue line, beating a screened Russell to the glove side at 19:42 of the first period.
End-to-end action ensued in the second period, with the Catamounts getting the better of the play, outshooting the Purple Eagles, 16-8, in the middle period and leading to Gale's early third period game-winning goal.
Van Nynatten made 34 saves for his second consecutive victory. Building confidence after allowing two early goals, Van Nynatten sealed the Niagara victory with a clutch save with less than 10 seconds remaining in regulation. With Russell pulled, allowing Vermont to have an extra attacker, Van Nynatten got a piece of Corey's slap shot from the left circle, which then deflected off the left post and into the corner. In the two games, Van Nynatten did not allow a goal in the third period.
Starting his first game of the season, Russell made 15 saves in the loss for the Catamounts.
Vermont outshot Niagara by a large margin of, 36-18, in Saturday’s contest.
The Purple Eagles return to action Friday, traveling to Clarkson for a two-game series at Cheel Arena.
