Sophomore Pat Oliveto leads the CHA in points by a defenseman.

The Niagara University men’s hockey team (3-4-0) ends a four-week, eight-game road trip, traveling to Kalamazoo, Mich. for a two-game series against Western Michigan University (2-4-0) Friday and Saturday. Both games at Lawson Arena are set for 7:35 p.m.

LAST WEEKEND

Both Niagara and Western Michigan split their two-game series last weekend.

Niagara defeated ECAC-opponent Clarkson University, 5-3, Oct. 29 at Cheel Arena. The Purple Eagles fell to the Golden Knights, 4-3, the following evening.

Western Michigan defeated Ohio State University, 6-3, Oct. 29 at Lawson Arena, falling to the Buckeyes, 5-2, Oct. 30.

NIAGARA RECEIVES VOTES

Following a split with Clarkson last weekend at Cheel Arena, the Purple Eagles received votes in this week’s U.S. College Hockey Online national poll.

This marks the third time this season Niagara has received votes in the USCHO.com national poll.

SPLIT

In the six previous games on its current road trip, Niagara has a record of 3-3-0.

After losing both games to nationally-ranked Maine Oct. 15-16, the Purple Eagles swept Vermont Oct. 22-23 prior to last weekend’s split with Clarkson.

Niagara has outscored its opponents, 22-20, in the six previous road games.

SCOUTING THE BRONCOS

Led by captains Pat Dwyer, Brent Walton and Vince Bellissimo, the Broncos return 17 players from last season’s 17-win team.

The tri-captains lead the team in scoring after six games, led by Walton’s 12 points (7 goals, 5 assists). Walton currently leads the CCHA in scoring, averaging 2.00 points per game. He has goals in the Broncos’ last three games.

Bellissimo, who led the team in scoring last season with 40 points, has eight points this season on five goals and three assists. Bellissimo is third in the CCHA in points.

Freshman goaltender Daniel Bellissimo, the younger brother of Vince, has both wins for the Broncos this season, playing in five of Western Michigan’s six games. Bellissimo has a 4.19 goals-against average.

Having split last season’s two-game series at Dwyer Arena, Western Michigan leads the all-time series with the Purple Eagles, 5-2-0.

Dating back to Feb. 18, 2000, the Broncos are 2-1-0 at Lawson Arena against Niagara, outscoring the Purple Eagles, 11-7, in the three games. The lone Niagara victory on the road came Feb. 19, 2000, a 3-2 overtime win over the Broncos.

The Purple Eagles are 1-2-0 lifetime against Western Michigan at Dwyer Arena and 0-1-0 on neutral ice.

LAST SEASON

Niagara and Western Michigan split last season’s series at Dwyer Arena, falling 3-2 to the Broncos Nov. 14, 2003. The Purple Eagles regrouped to win the second game against Western Michigan, 3-2, Nov. 15, 2003.

In the Nov. 14 loss to the Broncos, senior Ryan Gale and now-departed forward Joe Tallari scored for the Purple Eagles, with junior goaltender Jeff Van Nynatten making 29 saves in the loss.

The following evening, junior Justin Cross tallied the game-winning goal for Niagara late in the third period. Sophomore goaltender Allen Barton made 23 saves to pick up the first win of his collegiate career.

Broncos’ leading scorer in 2004-05, forward Brent Walton, had two points in last season’s series against the Purple Eagles.

BURKHOLDER AGAINST WMU

Now in his fourth season at the helm of the Niagara hockey program, head coach Dave Burkholder is 1-2-0 against Western Michigan.

Burkholder, and the Purple Eagles, suffered a 7-3 loss at Lawson Arena in his first meeting with the Broncos Nov. 23, 2002.

POINTS BREAKDOWN

In three games played against Western Michigan, only two goals have been scored by players currently on the Niagara roster. Senior forward Ryan Gale and junior Justin Cross have the only two goals scored against the Broncos.

Against Western Michigan, the Purple Eagles are led in scoring by senior captain Barret Ehgoetz, who has three assists in three games played.

In the nine-year history of the Niagara men’s hockey program, the Purple Eagles have a record of 10-19-3 (.359) against teams from the CCHA conference.

In the 2003-04 season, Niagara went 1-3-1 against the CCHA. The Purple Eagles earned a win against Western Michigan Nov. 15, 2003 and earned a tie with Ferris State Nov. 28.

BURKHOLDER VS. CCHA

Facing teams from the CCHA conference 12 times in his three previous seasons at Niagara, head coach Dave Burkholder has a record of 2-9-1 (.208) against the CCHA.

COLLEGE HOCKEY AMERICA

Five of the six teams from the College Hockey America conference are in action this weekend.

In addition to the Purple Eagles facing Western Michigan in non-conference play, Wayne State visits Providence for a two-game series, with Bemidji State visiting Minnesota State Mankato.

Opening CHA conference play this season, newest-member Robert Morris visits Alabama-Huntsville Friday and Saturday.

EHGOETZ AND CHA

Continuing to ascend in the College Hockey America record books, senior captain Barret Ehgoetz continues to rank second all-time in CHA history in points with 130 thus far in his collegiate career.

Ehgoetz is already the third-leading scorer in the CHA with 58 career goals and ranks fifth with 72 assists.

GALE HEATING UP

Scoring five goals in the past four games, senior forward Ryan Gale has become one of Niagara surprise players thus far in the 2004-05 season.

After his move up to the first line, opposite senior captain Barret Ehgoetz and junior Justin Cross, Oct. 16 against the University of Maine, Gale has excelled, scoring seven of his eight points following the promotion.

Gale leads the Purple Eagles with five goals this season.

CROSS TALLIES FIRST

After not scoring a goal in Niagara’s first six games of the season, junior forward Justin Cross scored two goals in a loss to Clarkson Oct. 30. Cross is tied for fourth on the team in scoring with six points (2 goals, 4 assists).

Last season, the junior finished fourth on the Purple Eagles in scoring, ending the season with 29 points on 12 goals and 17 assists.

OLIVETO SURGING

Expectations remain high for sophomore defenseman Pat Oliveto. Following last season’s CHA All-Rookie team campaign, Oliveto headed into this season as one of the top two scorers from the blue line for the Purple Eagles. The Rochester, N.Y., native, had 14 points on 14 assists last season, among the conference leaders in points from a defenseman.

In the past four games, Oliveto has three goals and five points, extending his point streak to four games. He leads all CHA defensemen with seven points (4 goals, 3 assists).

SENIORS LEAD THE WAY

Registering 25 of Niagara’s 66 points this season -- including 10 of 24 goals -- the senior class of Shayne Baylis, Ryan Carrigan, Barret Ehgoetz, Ryan Gale and Kris Wiebe lead the Purple Eagles in scoring this season.

Also scoring all three of Niagara’s game-winning goals, Gale leads the team with five goals.

The six-member sophomore class is second on the team in scoring with 19 points, followed by the juniors (12) and freshmen (10).

In seven games this season, Niagara has received only one goal from its third and fourth lines.

The lone goal from the bottom two lines was scored by freshman forward Mike Maier in a loss to Maine Oct. 16.

STREAKING

Scoring seven points in the last four games, senior forward Ryan Gale is currently on a four-game point streak. Joining Gale is sophomore defenseman Pat Oliveto, who also has registered a point in the last four games (3-2-5).

Senior captain Barret Ehgoetz continues his remarkable run of 87 consecutive games played, dating back to Feb. 23, 2002.

Junior goaltender Jeff Van Nynatten, who is 3-4-0 this season, has started 12 consecutive games in net.

EHGOETZ MOVES TO NO. 4

On his four-point performance against Clarkson Oct. 29-30, senior captain Barret Ehgoetz moved to No. 4 all-time in the Niagara record books in points. With 130 career points (58-72-130), Ehgoetz stands fourth all-time in points and assists, while fifth in goals with 58.

Former Niagara forwards Mike Isherwood and Mikko Sivonen are the all-time leaders in points in Purple Eagles’ history with 145.

LEADING THE CHA

Senior captain Barret Ehgoetz leads the College Hockey America conference with 10 points (3-7-10) in seven games. Also ranking in the top five in the conference in points is senior forward Ryan Gale (8) and sophomore defenseman Pat Oliveto (7).

Gale is second in the conference with five goals, with Oliveto third in the CHA with four.

Ehgoetz also leads the CHA in assists with seven.

OH CANADA

The Niagara roster boasts 17 Canadians, one of the largest contingency of Canadian players in collegiate hockey.

The 17 players span as far west as British Columbia and as far east as Quebec.

Niagara returns 17 players who experienced the NCAA Tournament last season, including forwards Sean Bentivoglio, Aaron Clarke, Justin Cross, Barret Ehgoetz, Ryan Gale, Chad Murray, Marc Norrington, Mario Nucci, and Jason Williamson, defensemen Shayne Baylis, Ryan Carrigan, Brian Hartman, Jason Jones, Andrew Lackner, and Pat Oliveto, with goaltenders Allen Barton and Jeff Van Nynattten.

The team returns 70 of its 124 total goals (56.5 percent) and 185 of its 321 points (57.6 percent) from a year ago.

Ehgoetz is the Purple Eagles’ leading returning scorer, leading Niagara -- as well as the CHA conference -- with a career-high 52 points (25 goals, 27 assists). Lackner is the leading returner among blueliners, posting 15 points on two goals and 13 assists. Van Nynatten returns as Niagara’s No. 1 goaltender, posting 18 wins last season and a 2.81 goals-against average.

The Purple Eagles welcome 12 new players to the roster this season, one of the largest incoming classes in program history.

Joining the squad are forwards Matt Caruana, Cliff Ketchen, Tim Madsen, Mike Maier, Tayler Simpson, C.J. Tozzo and Kris Wiebe, defensemen Travis Anderson, Scott Langdon, Trevor Mallon and Mike Novosad, along with goaltender Scott Mollison.