NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. - Niagara senior Paul Zanette earned his first collegiate hat-trick, helping the Niagara men's hockey team (6-3-2, 5-1-0 AHA) extend its winning streak to five games with a 4-1 victory against RIT (4-6-1, 3-2-0 AHA) in front of 1,850 fans at Dwyer Arena on Friday night.

Zanette's natural hat-trick is the first three-goal night for Niagara since Vince Rocco performed the feat against Canisius on Dec. 30, 2007. Zanette's career-high three goals came in different scenarios, one came even strength, one came on the man-advantage and one came on the penalty kill.

"Paul keeps adding to his crazy season," head coach Dave Burkholder said. "He wants to be the go-to guy and tonight he was. Our seniors played well tonight."

Niagara took a 1-0 lead on the man-advantage 6:20 into the game, when freshman Matt Williams fired a perfect pass from the far boards to fellow rookie Ryan Rashid on the doorstep, who deked past Jan Ropponen on the backhand. RIT tied the game eight minutes later, when Adam Mitchell finished a tic-tac-toe passing play by shooting it past a diving Carsen Chubak.

The Purple Eagles took their second lead of the game on the power-play, when senior Ryan Annesley ripped a shot from the point that went off the post, with the resulting rebound picked up and buried into the back of the net by Zanette.

With a 2-1 lead, Zanette went to work. Halfway through the third period, Zanette added an even strength goal, before finishing off the night with a goal on the penalty kill, just two minutes later. Niagara currently has five shorthanded goals, one better then Notre Dame.

Freshman netminder Chubak made 20 saves in earning the victory for the Purps. Annesley and Haczyk also finished the game with two assists apiece. 

Niagara is now 7-0-2 against RIT since Feb. 8, 1996. The Purple Eagles continue their five-game homestand on Saturday night, when they host Air Force at 7:05 p.m.