Senior Barret Ehgoetz has 13 goals in 12 games against the Chargers. |
FACING OFF
The Niagara University men’s hockey team (5-8-0, 0-2-0) looks to break a two-game losing streak when it travels to the University of Alabama in Huntsville (6-4-2, 4-0-0) for two College Hockey America conference games at the Von Braun Center Friday and Saturday.
Game time is set for 7:05 p.m. Friday and 8:05 p.m. Saturday.
ON THE AIR
Both Friday’s and Saturday’s games can be heard live on WJJL 1440-AM, with Paul Hamilton handling play-by-play duties.
NIAGARA LOOKS TO REBOUND
Niagara looks to rebound after dropping both contests to Bemidji State University Nov. 19-20 at Dwyer Arena.
Leading the Purple Eagles into this weekend’s games against the Chargers is the senior duo of Barret Ehgoetz and Ryan Gale. The linemates have accounted for 27 percent of the team’s scoring output this season, including 14 of the 39 goals scored.
Ehgoetz, team captain, leads Niagara in points after 13 games, registering 15 points on five goals and 10 assists. He has points in nine of Niagara’s 13 games this season, including a season-high four points against Vermont Oct. 22.
Gale leads the team with nine goals this season, registering a career-high 14 points after 13 games. Gale has four points in the last four games (2 goals, 2 assists).
Sophomore Sean Bentivoglio is third on the team with 12 points, scoring a career-high three goals and adding nine assists.
In between the pipes this weekend is sophomore Allen Barton and freshman Scott Mollison, both seeing action this season.
Mollison leads the team with a 1.80 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage in four appearances.
SCOUTING THE CHARGERS
Led by senior captain Jared Ross, son of head coach Doug Ross, Alabama-Huntsville is undefeated in conference gaems this season, with a 4-0-0 record and eight points in CHA games.
Ross stands sixth nationally in points with 19 points (9 goals, 10 assists), leading the nation with a 1.73 points per game average.
Teamed with Ross, junior Bruce Mulherin and senior Craig Bushey have registered 18 and 15 points, respectively.
Mulherin leads the CHA with 11 goals this season, averaging 1.50 points per game.
In goal, junior Scott Munroe has a 5-4-2 record, standing second in the CHA with a 2.63 goals-against average. Munroe has played in all four of the Chargers conference games this season.
Huntsville leads the conference with a 3.67 goals per game average.VAN NYNATTEN INJURED
Junior goaltender Jeff Van Nynatten will miss the next eight weeks after suffering an injury to his index finger in practice Monday.
Expected to make a full recovery, Van Nynatten had his finger operated on Tuesday afternoon.
He leads the Purple Eagles with eights starts in net this season, with a 3-5-0 record and a 3.01 goals-against average.
CLARKE DISMISSED
Sophomore forward Aaron Clarke has been dismissed from the team due to disciplinary reasons, announced by head coach Dave Burkholder.
Clarke, 2004 CHA All-Tournament selection, had six points (3 goals, 3 assists) in nine games this season, seventh on the team in scoring.
He finished with eight goals and five assists for 13 points last season.
IN THEIR LAST OUTING
Niagara was swept by Bemidji State University Nov. 19-20 at Dwyer Arena.
Outscored by the Beavers, 7-4, in the two games, the Purple Eagles struggled on the power play, capitalizing on just one of their 22 opportunities against Bemidji State.
Down 2-1 heading in the third period, Niagara surrendered three goals in the final period to fall, 5-3, to the Beavers Nov. 19. The loss was only the second loss in a conference opener for the Purple Eagles, who headed into the contest with a record of 4-1-0 in CHA openers.
The following afternoon against Bemidji State, Niagara benefitted from the play of junior goaltender Jeff Van Nynatten, who finished with 39 saves, but eventually fell to the Beavers, 2-1, in overtime.
In the loss, senior forward Ryan Gale scored his ninth goal of the season and registered his 14th point of the season, a new career high.
CHA ROAD OPENERS
The Purple Eagles remain undefeated in College Hockey America conferences road openers.
With a all-time record of 4-0-1 in road openers, Niagara defeated Wayne State, 4-1, last season, played at the Compuware Sports Arena Oct. 31, 2003.
ON THE POWER PLAY
The Purple Eagles continue to struggle on the power play.
After going 0-for-9 on man-advantages against Bemidji State Nov. 20, Niagara is 3-for-43 (.070) in its last five games on the power play.
NIAGARA VS. UAH
The Purple Eagles lead the all-time series against Alabama-Huntsville, 17-6-2.
Niagara, behind a sweep at Dwyer Arena Dec. 5-6, 2003, went 3-1-0 against the Chargers last season, outscoring Huntsville, 15-6, in the four games.
The Purple Eagles are 6-5-2 all-time on the road against Huntsville.
BURKHOLDER VS. CHARGERS
Head coach Dave Burkholder holds a 7-4-1 lifetime record against the Chargers in his three previous seasons at the helm of the Purple Eagles.
In the previous three seasons under Burkholder, Niagara has yet to earn a sweep against Huntsville at the Von Braun Center.
EHGOETZ LEADS AGAINST UAH
Senior captain Barret Ehgoetz leads Niagara with 18 points in 12 games against Huntsville in his collegiate career.
Averaging 1.50 points per game against the Chargers, Ehgoetz has 13 goals in 18 games against Huntsville.
Also contributing offensively against the Chargers are senior forwards Ryan Gale and Kris Wiebe, both with six points against Huntsville in their previous three seasons.Wiebe has played in a team-high 14 games against the Chargers in his three seasons at the University of Findlay.
Both Niagara goaltenders, sophomore Allen Barton and freshman Scott Mollison have yet to see action in net against Huntsville.
EHGOETZ AND CHA
Senior captain Barret Ehgoetz ranks in the top three in the College Hockey America conference in points, goals and assists, racing with fellow senior Jared Ross of Alabama-Huntsville for the all-time CHA scoring mark held by Andy Berg of Air Force.
Heading into this weekend’s two games, Ehgoetz ranks third in CHA history in career points with 135.
He also stands tied for second in career goals (60) and third in career assists (75).
COLLEGE HOCKEY AMERICA
All six teams from the College Hockey America conference will be in action this weekend, headlined by conference games pitting Niagara against Alabama-Huntsville and Wayne State against Air Force.
Bemidji State travels to face Lake Superior State Friday and Saturday, with Robert Morris visiting Miami in non-conference contests.
GALE IGNITES NIAGARAContinuing his solid play in his senior campaign, forward Ryan Gale leads the Purple Eagles with nine goals this season, adding five assists for a career-high 14 points.
A solid contributor in his first three seasons, Gale moved opposite of senior captain Barret Ehgoetz in the Oct. 16 game against the University of Maine, continuing to be one of the main offensive threats for the Purple Eagles ever since.
WILLIAMSON RETURNS
After missing the entire 2003-04 season, junior Jason Williamson has points in the past two games for the Purple Eagles.
Williamson struggled early on in the season with conditioning and the speed of the game after missing last season.
EHGOETZ TIES DESANTIS
With his assist in the 5-3 loss to Bemidji State Nov. 19, senior captain Barret Ehgoetz tied former Purple Eagle forward Peter DeSantis for third in Niagara history in points.
Both with 135 career points, Ehgoetz (60 goals, 75 assists) stands 10 points away from tying Mike Isherwood and Mikko Sivonnen as the all-time leader in points at Niagara.
HARTMAN NETS HIGH
Scoring two goals in the 5-3 loss to Bemidji State Nov 19, junior defenseman Brian Hartman set a new career high for goals in a game.
After missing the previous four games, Hartman netted two goals -- his first points of the season -- in the final period, assisting in Niagara’s comeback efforts.
MOLLISON MAKES HISTORY
Getting his first collegiate start in the Nov. 12 game against Quinnipiac, freshman goaltender Scott Mollison made history by becoming the first freshman goaltender in the nine-year history of the Niagara program to earn a victory in his first collegiate start.
In the 3-1 win, Mollison made 21 saves, not allowing a goal in the opening two periods.
Mollison followed his historic win with a 29-save effort the following evening, helping Niagara earn a 4-1 win and the two-game sweep over the Bobcats.
Now 2-1-0 this season in four appearances, Mollison leads the team with a 1.80 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage.
STREAKING
Senior Ryan Gale, leading Niagara with nine goals this season, extended his point streak to four games with his goal against Bemidji State Nov. 20.
In the four-game stretch, Gale has two goals and two assists for four points, helping Niagara earn a split of the four games.
Joining Gale, junior assistant captain Jason Williamson has points in the past two games, notching assists in both games against the Beavers Nov. 19-20.
Senior captain Barret Ehgoetz extended his remarkable games played streak to 92 games, with his two games played against Bemidji State.
CHA RANKINGS
Senior captain Barret Ehgoetz stands tied for third in the College Hockey America conference with 15 points this season. Leading Niagara in scoring in his senior season, Ehgoetz also stands tied for second in the conference in assists (10) and is fifth in points per game (1.15).
Playing opposite of Ehgoetz, senior forward Ryan Gale is tied for second in the CHA in goals (9) and stands fifth in points (14). Gale is averaging 0.69 goals per game, ranking third in the CHA.
Sophomore forward Sean Bentivoglio is tied for fourth in the CHA in assists, with nine assists in 13 games this season.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Senior Ryan Gale, who sits tied for second in the conference in goals, is tied for ninth nationally with nine goals scored this season, matching his career high for goals in a season.
Also joining Gale in the national rankings, senior Barret Ehgoetz stands tied for 27th nationally in assists, with 10 assists in 13 games this season.
SENIORS LEADING THE WAY
Registering 41 of Niagara’s 107 points this season -- including 17 of 39 goals -- the senior class of Shayne Baylis, Ryan Carrigan, Barret Ehgoetz, Ryan Gale and Kris Wiebe lead the Purple Eagles in scoring this season.
With Ehgoetz, Gale and Wiebe also scoring all five of Niagara’s game-winning goals, Gale leads the team with nine goals this season.
The seven-member junior class -- headed by junior Justin Cross’ 10 points -- is second on the team in scoring with 22 points, followed by the sophomores and freshmen, both with 19 points.ACROSS THE BORDER
The Niagara roster boasts 16 Canadians, one of the largest contingency of Canadian players in collegiate hockey.
The 16 players span as far west as British Columbia and as far east as Quebec.
CAPTAINS NAMED
Joining three-year captain Barret Ehgoetz are juniors Andrew Lackner and Jason Williamson.
Voted assistant captains by their teammates, both Lackner and Williamson have been solid contributors on-and-off the ice throughout the previous two seasons.
Ehgoetz has been the consummate leader for Niagara the past three seasons, voted assistant captain in his sophomore year.
A GLANCE BACK
Niagara finished the 2003-04 season with a 21-15-3 overall record, finishing second in the College Hockey America conference with a record of 14-6-0. The Purple Eagles won the CHA Conference Tournament, defeating Wayne State and Bemidji State to win their second conference tournament crown. Playing eventual Frozen Four-participant Boston College in the NCAA Tournament, Niagara fell to the Eagles, 5-2. Departed senior Joe Tallari and sophomore forward Sean Bentivoglio had goals for the Purple Eagles in the loss.
NATIONAL HONOREE
Niagara senior forward Barret Ehgoetz earned honorable mention honors on the 2004 Preseason All-U.S. College Hockey Online team, representing the only player from the CHA to garner national preseason honors.
Ehgoetz enters his senior season with the second-most points of any returner to Division I men’s hockey.
PRESEASON ALL-CHA
Returning as the reigning CHA Co-Player of the Year, senior captain Barret Ehgoetz was named preseason All-CHA.
Ehgoetz was joined on the preseason team with juniors Andrew Lackner and Jeff Van Nynatten.
All three earned postseason conference honors last season, headlined by Ehgoetz being named CHA Co-Player of the Year and Van Nynatten earning CHA Tournament Most Valuable Player honors.
Both Ehgoetz and Van Nynatten were unanimous All-CHA selections.
CHA TOURNAMENT
The 2005 Wells Fargo College Hockey America Championships will move Minnesota, played at the IRA Civic Center in Grand Rapids March 11-13.
With all six CHA teams qualifying for the tournament, with the top two seeds receiving byes in the quarterfinals, the 2005 tournament is the first ever held in the state of Minnesota for the conference.The two quarterfinal games are scheduled for 3:05 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. CST March 11. The semifinals are scheduled for the same times March 12, with the finals played at 7:05 p.m. March 13.
The 2005 CHA Championship Game can be seen live on College Sports Television.
UP NEXT
Continuing College Hockey America conference action, Niagara travels to Bemidji State University for a two-game series at Glas Fieldhouse Dec. 10-11.
The Purple Eagles look to rebound against the Beavers after getting swept by Bemidji State Nov. 19-20 at Dwyer Arena.
Last season, the two teams split the pair of games at Glas Fieldhouse, played March 5-6.
Game times are set for 8:35 p.m. EST Friday, with Saturday’s contest scheduled for 8:05 p.m.
