POTSDAM, N.Y. – Two goals by senior forward Ryan Gale (St. Catharines, Ont.) led the Niagara University men’s hockey team (3-3-0) to a 5-3 win over Clarkson University (1-4-0) Friday at Cheel Arena, on the campus of Clarkson. The win extended the Purple Eagles’ winning streak to three games.

Scoring his fourth and fifth goals of the season -- fifth in the last three games -- Gale tallied the first two goals for the Purple Eagles.

In the first period, with the puck deep in the corner, senior Barret Ehgoetz (Kincardine, Ont.) found a cutting Gale between the faceoff circles. Gale, after controlling the puck, was able to lift his shot over the right shoulder of Clarkson goaltender Dustin Traylen at 12:24 of the first period, giving Niagara a 1-0 lead.

Gale scored his second goal of the game 54 seconds into the middle period, beating Traylen low to the blocker side on a one-on-one opportunity. Catching the Golden Knights in the middle of a line change, sophomore defenseman Pat Oliveto (Rochester, N.Y.) found junior Justin Cross (Camarillo, Calif.) with an outlet pass down the right boards. Cross drove towards the Clarkson net, leaving the puck for a trailing Gale, who finished the scoring opportunity.

Gale leads Niagara with five goals after six games.

"Confidence, playing more and being paired with Barret and Cross, two great players, is key," Gale said of the keys to continuing his recent scoring..

Sophomore Sean Bentivoglio (Thorold, Ont.) gave Niagara a 3-1 lead at the 3:39 mark of the second period, tipping in a 2-on-1 break with linemate Aaron Clarke (Peterborough, Ont.). Clarke, who won the draw in the Niagara defensive zone, carried the puck up the left boards, finding Bentivoglio driving towards the Clarkson net for the tip.

Bentivoglio, who led the Purple Eagles with three points in the win, later assisted on a goal by senior forward Kris Wiebe (Lloydminster, Alb.) at 12:19 of the second period. On the power play, Bentivoglio found a cutting Matt Caruana (Orono, Ont.), who slid the puck across the Clarkson crease for Wiebe.

Clarke added an empty-net goal at 19:23 of the final period.

The Golden Knights scored their first goal at the 18:12 mark of the first period, tying the game at 1-1. Playing in his first game of the season, Clarkson freshman forward Shawn Weller tipped in a pass from teammate David Cayer, scoring his first collegiate goal. Cayer slid the pass across the Purple Eagles’ crease to an open Weller, who beat Niagara goaltender Jeff Van Nynatten (Stratford, Ont.) with the backhanded tip.

Clarkson freshman Nick Dodge scored Clarkson’s second goal of the contest, finishing a one-on-one break at 7:03 of the second period. Capitalizing on a Purple Eagles turnover, Dodge broke towards Van Nynatten at the Niagara blue line, finishing the puck low past the Purple Eagles’ goaltender.

Weller scored his second goal of the game at 8:52 of the third period, cutting the Niagara lead to just one goal. Positioned behind the net on the power play, senior Jay Latulippe found Weller in front of the Purple Eagles’ net for the one-time shot.

Shots were in favor of Niagara, 24-23.

Van Nynatten, winning his third consecutive game, made 20 saves for the Purple Eagles, including 13 in the final period.

Traylen made 19 saves for Clarkson in the loss.

Niagara finished one of its seven power-play opportunities. Clarkson went 2-for-6 on man advantages.

The two teams conclude the two-game series Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Cheel Arena.