MOON TOWNSHIP, PA. - For the first time in program history, the Purple Eagle men's hockey team (15-13-4; 8-5-3 CHA) played to a scoreless draw, coming against the Robert Morris Colonials (8-17-7; 4-7-5 CHA) at the RMU Island Sports Center on Saturday night.

Sophomore netminder Adam Avramenko (Strathmore, Alb.) picked up his first career shutout, while stopping a career-high 34 saves. The back-to-back ties with Robert Morris has clinched the second seed in the CHA playoffs for Niagara.  

"I was really happy with how well we played defensively," head coach Dave Burkholder said. "Avramenko was stellar in net and did a good job moving the puck, which is one of his strengths."

Neither team was shy in the first 20 minutes of play, with both teams ripping 12 shots on net. Avramenko made a few key saves, including a sprawling, coast-to-coast glove save late in the opening frame.

The second period included much of the same up-tempo, free-flowing hockey, with both teams earning several chances to light up the scoreboard. Niagara's best chance came at about the halfway mark of the second period, when junior Egor Mironov (Thornhill, Ont.) curled in front of the net and ripped a wrist shot over the shoulder of Colonial netminder Brooks Ostergard, which clanked off the iron.

Nothing was solved in the third period, with both teams trading rushes. Avramenko had to make a key save in the waning seconds of regulation, after the Purps were buzzing in the other end. Even the shots on net were tied after 60 minutes of play, at 31 apiece.

Niagara concludes the 2008-09 regular season taking on visiting Alabama-Huntsville in a two-game set, starting on Friday at 7 pm.