Purple Eagles Hit the Road in the CHA

Niagara travels to Bemidji, Minn., to take on the Beavers for the final time this season. The two teams met earlier this year, with the Purple Eagles winning the series opener 6-2, Oct. 27, and earning a 2-2 tie, Oct. 28, at Dwyer Arena. The Purple Eagles are just 4-7-3 all-time inside John S. Glas Fieldhouse.

Follow the Purple Eagles on the Internet

Purple Eagle fans can listen to the weekend action on Bemidji’s KKBJ Radio from the Game Day Central page on PurpleEagles.com.

Triple Threat

Senior Sean Bentivoglio and sophomores Ted Cook and Les Reaney form a line of terror for opposing goaltenders. The trio has combined to score 64 points this year, as Reaney’s 23 points is tied for first in the nation. Cook ranks fourth with 21 points, while Bentivoglio’s 20 markers lands him fifth.

Cook ranks second in the nation with 12 goals and first with eight power-play tallies. Bentivoglio’s 15 assists ties him for the NCAA lead. Reaney sits in a tie for third with 10 goals and fifth with 13 assists.

Niagara’s top line accounted for 13 points (6 goals and 7 assists) in two games against Bemidji State earlier this season.

First Place Purple Eagles

By jumping out to a 4-1-1 start in conference play, Niagara has built a five-point lead in the CHA. With a pair of victories over Alabama-Huntsville, a win and a tie against Bemidji State, and a split with Robert Morris, the Purple Eagles’ nine points is head and shoulders above RMU’s four, Bemidji’s three and UAH and Wayne State’s two points.

Last Time Out

Niagara 4, Alabama-Huntsville 1 - Nov. 11, 2006

Though the first two periods provided hockey fans with no goals, Niagara erupted for four tallies in the third period en route to a 4-1 victory over UAH to complete the series sweep, Nov. 11.

Senior captain Sean Bentivoglio was one of four Purple Eagles to light the lamp, as his goal midway through the third was the game winner. Freshman Egor Mironov started the outburst, Ted Cook’s eighth power-play goal of the season added insurance and Matt Caruana poked in an empty-netter to round out the scoring.

Sophomore goalie Juliano Pagliero made 27 saves, allowing one goal, for his fourth win of the year.

Weekend Opponent

Bemidji State

Bemidji State enters the weekend set fresh off its most impressive win of the young season, a 3-0 shutout of second place Robert Morris. Junior goaltender Matt Climie made 26 saves in the win, the sixth shutout of the netminder’s career. Since senior Layne Sedevie was pulled just five minutes into the CHA opener against Niagara after allowing three goals, Climie has gone 2-1-1, posting a CHA-best 2.83 goals-against average.

Luke Erickson leads the way for the Beavers with eight points, as five of his team-high six goals have come on the power play. Tyler Scofield leads the team with six assists.

The Series - Niagara, 16-11-5

Since joining the CHA, Niagara and Bemidji State have quickly become conference rivals. The two teams have met for the CHA Championship twice, with BSU winning in 2006 and Niagara taking the 2004 title.

Bemidji holds a 7-4-3 advantage on games played at Glas Fieldhouse. The Beavers have swept a home series with Niagara only once (2002). The Purple Eagles started the series with a 5-0-1 record, and hold an 11-3-2 mark in Dwyer Arena, including a seven-game home win streak to start the set.

CHA As Easy As 1-2-3. Now 4?

Last year’s Co-CHA Rookies of the Year Ted Cook and Les Reaney and this year’s preseason CHA Co-Player of the Year Sean Bentivoglio sit one, two, and three on the CHA point list. Now add in rookie Chris Moran, and Niagara has the top four scorers in the league.

Reaney leads the way with 23 points (10 goals and 13 assists) while Cook is right behind him with 21 (12 goals and 9 assists). Bentivoglio and Moran have 20 and 14 points, respectively.

Dwyer, Sweet Dwyer

Though their home record reads 4-1-1, the Purple Eagles have yet to lose a game at Dwyer. Niagara won the home opener in dramatic fashion, via a come-from-behind, 5-4 triumph in overtime. The Purple Eagles welcomed Bemidji State to Monteagle Ridge, and picked up a win and a tie, and then swept the series against Alabama-Huntsville.

On Oct. 12, Niagara hosted a game at Blue Cross Arena, a 2-1 loss to Colgate, which goes down in the official books as a home game.

Down But Never Out

The Purple Eagles have been down 4-1 in the second period twice this season, and have come back to post a win both times. Niagara beat Holy Cross 5-4 in overtime during the 2006 home opener, and most recently won 7-5 at Robert Morris for its first road conference victory of the year.

Captain Century

With his four assists in Niagara’s 7-5 victory over Robert Morris, Nov. 4, Sean Bentivoglio became the eighth Purple Eagle to join the program’s 100 Point Club. The senior captain has 74 career assists, ranking him fifth on the all-time chart. Bentivoglio leads the nation with 15 assists this season.

National Recognition

After just one month of play, a pair of Niagara University student-athletes are getting national recognition for their efforts on the ice. Sophomore forward Ted Cook and freshman forward Chris Moran were named to monthly honorable mention teams by CSTV/Hockey Commissioners’ Association (HCA).

The HCA picks a Division I Player and Rookie of the Month for October. Cook earned honorable mention player of the month with four others, while Moran was one of five named to the honorable mention rookie of the month list.

CHA Weekly Accolades

Freshman Chris Moran picked up his second CHA Rookie of the Week honor, Nov. 13, after finishing with five points against UAH.

In Niagara’s 7-3 win, Nov. 10, Moran had his best game of the year totaling a goal and three assists. It was the first four-point game of the freshman’s career, and his first career goal was the game winner. The forward added an assist in the 4-1 win against the Chargers, Nov. 11.

Sean Bentivoglio, Les Reaney, Vince Rocco and Juliano Pagliero have each picked up weekly praise from the conference office once this season. Bentivoglio, Reaney and Rocco nabbed offensive honors while Pagliero picked defensive recognition.