#20 Niagara Purple Eagles
13-8-3
vs.
#16 Quinnipiac Bobcats
11-6-4
Purple Eagles Play Host at Undefeated Dwyer
The No. 20 Purple Eagles continue their stretch of important non-conference games, putting their undefeated record at Dwyer Arena (7-0-1) on the line against 16th-ranked Quinnipiac. The contest marks the first time two ranked teams face off inside Dwyer Arena.
The Purple Eagles are 17-6-3 all-time as a ranked team, including 2-2-0 this season. When a ranked Niagara team takes the ice against a ranked opponent, the Purple Eagles are 1-3-0. Niagara’s lone win came in the 2000 NCAA Tournament, when it beat No. 7 New Hampshire, 4-1.
The Bobcats enter the weekend set ranked eighth in total offense (3.67 goals per game). Niagara’s 3.58 gpg total rank 11th in the nation. The two teams’ power play units rank in the top 20, as the Purple Eagles’ 20.1 percentage is tied for 13th, while Quinnipiac is 18th (19.1%).
Follow the Purple Eagles on the Internet
Purple Eagle fans can listen to their nationally-ranked team as Paul Hamilton calls the play-by-play for the internet broadcast that can be heard on WJJL 1440 AM and from the Game Day Central link on PurpleEagles.com.
Niagara in the National Polls
Niagara has been ranked in the USCHO.com/CSTV Poll for three-straight weeks, landing at No. 20 this week. Niagara is also 15th in the latest Inside College Hockey (INCH) Online poll and third in the receiving votes category of the USAToday/USA Hockey Magazine poll, a national top-15 poll.
The PairWise Computer Rankings, has the Purple Eagles tied for 19th. These rankings are critical to Niagara’s postseason hopes, as the NCAA uses this poll to determine the at-large teams in the NCAA Tournament.
Last Time Out
Denver 5, Niagara 2 - Jan. 13, 2007
Niagara couldn’t muster enough offense to stick with then-No. 7 Denver, as the Pioneers took a 5-2 decision, Jan. 13, in Denver. The Purple Eagles were outshot 43-20, allowing three goals in the decisive second period.
Senior goaltender Allen Barton made 13 saves in the first period, but the Pioneer attack broke through in the middle frame. Brandon Vossberg and Brock Trotter gave Denver a 2-0 lead before Niagara would crack the scoring column.
Sophomore Kyle Rogers scored his fourth goal of the season to cut the Pioneer lead to 2-1. Freshman Chris Moran dished out his 23rd assist, tying him for the conference lead with teammate Les Reaney.
Denver’s Tyler Ruegsegger scored two goals, including the game-winning tally, in the second. Purple Eagle defender Scott Langdon recorded his third point in as many games with an unassisted goal while the teams were playing 4-on-4 hockey in the third period to round out Niagara’s scoring. Barton made 38 saves in the loss, tying his career high.
The Nation’s Top Line Lands on Hobey Baker List
Niagara’s top line of Sean Bentivoglio, Les Reaney and Ted Cook has combined for 106 points through 24 games, tops in the nation. The trio was named to the Hobey Baker watch list, as all three rank in the nation’s top 10 in points. Only two other teams had at least three players on the list, No. 1 Minnesota (4) and No. 2 New Hampshire (3).
Cook ranks No. 1 in the country with 21 goals and 13 power-play tallies, while Reaney (4th) and Bentivoglio (9th) are in the top 10 in assists.
Weekend Opponent
#16 Quinnipiac Bobcats - 11-6-4
In just its second year in the ECAC Hockey League, Quinnipiac is taking the league by storm. The 16th-ranked Bobcats sit atop the league standings with an 8-3-3 mark. This season, Quinnipiac is 10-0-2 when scoring three-or-more goals. The team is 2-2-1 against ranked opponents this season and 4-4-2 overall on the road.
The Bobcats have 10 players with double-digit point totals, led by freshman Brandon Wong. The forward has a team-high 25 points and 16 goals. Captain Reid Cashman leads Quinnipiac with 14 assists. Junior Jamie Bates is second on the squad with 20 points, while sophomore David Marshall is second with 11 goals.
Bud Fisher has played every game between the pipes for the Bobcats, boasting a 2.49 goals-against average. The sophomore netminder ranks seventh in the ECAC with a .910 save percentage.
The Series - Niagara, 5-1-0
Niagara won the first five games of the series before the Bobcats took a 5-2 decision last season, at home on Jan. 28. The Purple Eagles own a 2-0-0 record when the team’s faceoff at Dwyer Arena, and have won both meetings when the team’s have met in in-season tournaments.
Last season, Les Reaney scored the game-winning tally in the third period in Niagara’s 4-3 victory, Jan. 27, at Quinnipiac.
Power Play Prowess
Niagara’s power play has been potent all season long as the Purple Eagles have scored 35 times. That number is tied for fourth in the nation and their 20.1 conversion percentage is tied for 13th.
Both of those totals are on pace to break Niagara school records. The 1999-00 team scored 50 power-play goals at a 27.8 clip.
Truly Special Special Teams
The Purple Eagles scored six of their eight goals on special teams in their road sweep of Colgate and RIT (Jan. 5-6). However, what made the weekend so special was the penalty killing unit’s effort at RIT. Niagara scored two short-handed goals, but held the Tigers’ fifth-ranked power-play scoreless.
In the 3-2 come-from-behind win over Colgate, Jan. 5, all three Niagara goals came on the power play, including two in the final period. Sophomore Ted Cook leads the nation with 13 power-play goals while senior Sean Bentivoglio is tied for second in the nation with three short-handers.
Not Your Average Freshman
Chris Moran came to Niagara as a highly-touted freshman, but no one could have expected how quickly he picked up the college game. Moran is second in the nation in freshman scoring with 28 points and leads the nation in freshman assists with 23. Overall, the rookie is tied for 22nd nationally in points and tied for fourth in the helper category.
CHA Chart Filled With Niagara
When checking the conference’s stat chart, a common thread at the top is Niagara. The Purple Eagles rank first in nine categories and their top five scorers are the leagues top five scorers. Les Reaney (37 points), Ted Cook (35), Sean Bentivoglio (34) and Chris Moran (28) are the top four on the CHA point chart. Matt Caruana’s 22 points are tied for fifth on the chart.
CHA Checkup
The Purple Eagles’ 15 points are now good for second place in the conference, behind Bemidji State’s 17. The Beavers have played two more conference games than Niagara, who own the tiebreaker over the Beavers by winning the season series, 1-0-3.
100 is the Magic Number
Already the winningest coach in program history, head coach Dave Burkholder earned his 100th career victory behind the bench with the 3-2 victory over Colgate, Jan. 6.
In his six seasons at the helm, Burkholder sports a 101-91-15 record, a College Hockey America (CHA) Coach of the Year Award, a CHA Tournament title, a CHA regular-season title and an NCAA postseason appearance.
Earlier this season, senior Sean Bentivoglio became the eighth member to join the illustrious 100 Point Club with a four-assist effort at Robert Morris, Nov. 4. The forward currently ranks seventh all-time with 120 points, third with 80 career assists and tied for 12th with 40 goals.
Dwyer, Sweet Dwyer
For the first time in school history, Niagara entered the holiday break with an unblemished mark at Dwyer Arena. Though their home record reads 7-1-1, the Purple Eagles have yet to lose a game at Dwyer.
The Purple Eagles started off their undefeated run in dramatic fashion, winning their home opener via a come-from-behind, 5-4 triumph in overtime against Holy Cross, Oct. 14. Niagara welcomed Bemidji State to Monteagle Ridge, and picked up a win and a tie, Oct. 27-28, and then won five-straight games over Alabama-Huntsville, Wayne State and Canisius.
On Oct. 12, Niagara hosted a game at Blue Cross Arena, a 2-1 loss to Colgate. That contest goes down in the official books as a home loss.
Niagara vs. Ranked Foes
Niagara is 0-5-0 against ranked opponents this season after losing a pair at then-No. 7 Denver, last weekend. The Purple Eagles opened the season against then-No. 20 Clarkson with a 7-3 loss, Oct. 6, and dropped a 10-1 decision to then-No. 19 Nebraska-Omaha, Oct. 20. Niagara lost a 6-2 game to then-No.19 Massachusetts, Dec. 1, as all five contests have come on the road.
Overall, the Purple Eagles are 8-33-0 against teams ranked in the USCHO.com poll, including a 5-2 win against No. 1 New Hampshire in 2003. The Purple Eagles have won two games against ranked foes in a season three times, including last year.
Against teams that were ranked or receiving votes this season, the Purple Eagles are 4-6-0 with wins over St. Lawrence (Oct. 7), Holy Cross (Oct. 14), Rennselaer (Nov. 24) and RIT (Jan. 6).
Niagara faces a ranked Quinnipiac team in its last non-conference series of the season this weekend. No other opponent left on its schedule is currently ranked or receiving votes.
Bentivoglio on the Career CHA Charts
Senior captain Sean Bentivoglio is rewriting both the Niagara and the CHA record books this season.
The forward’s 120 points are sixth on the all-time CHA point chart, and his 68 points in conference games also rank sixth.
Bentivoglio’s 80 career assists are third all-time, and are 15 away from the top spot, while the senior sits just two conference helpers shy of number one on the conference assist list with 48.
Show Me What You Got, Shorty!
Sean Bentivoglio is tied for second nationally with three short-handed goals. His pair of shorties in the RPI Tournament, Nov. 24-25, were firsts of his career, while his short-hander at RIT, Jan. 6, was the game winner.
The senior captain assisted on Matt Caruana’s short-hander at RIT before the pair teamed up for the game winner in the third period. His tally in the second period of the 5-3 win over RPI, Nov. 24, was the first short-hander scored by Niagara this season.
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 80 career assists, third on the all-time chart, and is tied for 12th with 40 career goals.
Rotation is the Key
Head coach Dave Burkholder started rotating his goaltenders in November, and not coincidentally, the Purple Eagles finished the month 5-1-2. Keeping senior Allen Barton and sophomore Juliano Pagliero fresh has been one of the keys to the Purple Eagles’ recent winning ways.
After not playing a minute last season, Barton has a 4-1-1 record this year with a 3.53 GAA. His emergence has allowed Pagliero to stay fresh and lower his GAA to 2.89, earning his first nine victories of his career.
Both goaltenders have put in career games this season. Barton’s career-high, 38-save effort against RIT, Jan. 6, gave Niagara its fifth win in a row. Pagliero’s first career shutout started a five-game winning streak, Dec. 8 against Wayne State, when the sophomore made a a then-career-best 41 saves.
National Recognition
Sophomore goalie Juliano Pagliero and freshman forward Chris Moran were named to December’s honorable mention teams by CSTV/Hockey Commissioners’ Association (HCA).
The HCA picks a Division I Player and Rookie of the Month. Pagliero 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.
Moran earned the honor for the third-straight month, enjoying his best month as a collegian.
Sophomore Ted Cook and Moran earned the same praise in October, while senior Sean Bentivoglio and Moran were on Novemeber’s list.
CHA Weekly Accolades
Sophomore Juliano Pagliero was named CHA Defensive Player of the Week, Jan. 15, after his career-high, 52-save effort at Denver. Pagliero earned the award for the third time this season, tying him for the team lead with Sean Bentivoglio.
Ryan Annesley, Bentivoglio, Ted Cook, Tyler Gotto, Chris Moran, Les Reaney and Vince Rocco have each picked up weekly praise from the conference office this season. Bentivoglio, Cook, Reaney and Rocco nabbed offensive honors, Gotto picked up defensive recognition and Moran grabbed two rookie of the week accolades, while Annesley earned one.
