Game Notes
Friday – Live Stats / Live Audio / Live Video
Sunday – Live Stats / Live Audio / Live Video
 
NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – Niagara hockey travels across the country to Colorado to face the No. 17 Denver Pioneers in a non-conference matchup on Friday, Oct. 25, before busing to Colorado Springs, Colo. to face Atlantic Hockey foe, Air Force, on Sunday, Oct. 27.  Friday's game will be a 9:37 p.m. ET tilt, while Sunday's contest will begin at 6:05 p.m. ET. 
 
TO CATCH ALL THE ACTION
•   Both Friday's and Sunday's contest will be available via the America One Network, and will be broadcasted live on WLVL, with Pat Malacaro on the call.  You can follow the games via live stats as well by the clicking on the appropriate link above.
 
FORMER CHA RIVALRY ENDS IN 3-3 DRAW 
•   Niagara and Robert Morris played to a 3-3 stalemate after the Purps had to battle back from a goal down twice.  The Purple Eagles struck first at 5:35 of the first, but found themselves scrambling the remainder of the game after falling behind a goal twice. 
•   Isaac Kohls netted the equalizer to send the game into OT, and added an assist for a two-point evening. 
•   Rookies had a good showing for NU - Brock Edwards and Tyler Akeson scored their first goals, and Phil Nasca pocketed his first career point off an assist.
•   Goaltender Adrian Ignagni made a career-high 35 stops.
 
PACK YOUR BAGS
•   In terms of traveling, NU has a difficult road to start the 2013-14 season. 
•   The Purps will play 13 of the next 15 games away from Dwyer Arena, with their longest stretch being eight games in a row.
•   Niagara's last lengthy road trip came during the 2010-11 season when the team went on an 11-game road trip, the longest in program history, going 3-4-4.
 
HALF A CENTURTY MARK
•   Defenseman Kevin Ryan is two points shy of reaching the 50-point mark.
•   In 112 games, the senior has three goals and 45 assists for 48 points. 
•   His most prolific season came last year when Ryan assisted on a career-high 23 NU goals, and added a goal for 24 points en route to being named to the Third Team All-Conference. 
•   Chris MacKenzie ('00) holds the all-time record for points by a defenseman in a career with 97 (1996-00).
 
SERIES HISTORY VS. DENVER
•   The Purple Eagles and Pioneers have played three times since first meeting in the 2003-04 season, and Niagara has yet to pocket a victory against the Pioneers.
 
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
•  Finished the 2012-13 season with a 20-14-5 overall mark, and a 14-9-5 WCHA record which was good enough for a three-way tie for fourth place with Wisconsin and Minnesota State.
•  Denver is currently 2-2-0 on the season after dropping a pair of 3-2 overtime contests against Alaska and Alaska-Anchorage.
•  So far this season the squad is led by Nolan Zajac with four points off a goal and three assists.  Zajac is followed by five Pioneers with three points on the season – David Makowski is tied for tops on the team with two goals, and Trevor Moore and Shore Quentin are tied for the team lead in assists (3).
•  Each of the two Denver goaltenders has seen time in net, but Sam Brittain has been the go-to netminder.  The senior has made 83 saves, only allowing three goals for a .965 save percentage and a .980 goals-against average.
 
SERIES HISTORY VS. AIR FORCE
•  Air Force and Niagara will meet for the 51st time with NU holding a 29-17-4 lead in the series that began in 1996 when both teams were independents.
•  The 29 times played while both programs were members of the College Hockey America conference saw NU win 22 of 31 meetings.
•  Air Force has had the upper hand since becoming AHA rivals, holding a 7-1-1 lead in the series.
 
SCOUTING THE FALCONS
•  Finished the 2012-13 season with a 17-13-7 overall mark, and a 15-7-5 AHA record which was good enough for a second place finish.
•  RMU are currently 2-2-0 on the season, recently sweeping Penn State, 5-2 and 3-1.  Sunday's contest will be the team's first AHA game of the season.
•  A pair of Falcons leads AF offensively as Cole Gunner has registered three goals and two assists for five points, while Chad Demers has one goal and four assists for five points.  Eleven more Falcons have at least one point in four games, including George Michalke (3-0-3) and Tony Thomas (2-1-3).
•  All three Air Force netminders have gotten the nod between the pipes, with Jason Torf seeing the majority of the action.  The senior owns a .895 save percentage and a 2.79 goals-against average, pushing aside 77 attempts on net and only nine goals.