Game Notes
Saturday: Live Stats / Live Audio / Live Video
Sunday: Live Stats / Live Audio / Live Video
 
NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The No. 20 Niagara hockey team opens the 2013-14 season with a two-game home slate against the Clarkson Golden Knights beginning on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. and wrapping up the following day at 2 p.m. 
 
DON'T MISS OUT ON THE ACTION!
•   Tickets are still available for both games.   For ticket information, please call the Niagara Tickets Office (located inside Dwyer Arena) at 716-286-TIXX, visit www.PurpleEagles.com/Tickets or by emailing Tickets@PurpleEagles.com.
 
BUT IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT…
•   Both games versus Clarkson will be available via the American One Network, and will be broadcasted live on WLVL, with Jeremy White on the call for Saturday's game and Paul Hamilton calling Sunday's contest. 
•   Sunday's game will also be available on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel with Dave Miller and Chris Panek on the call.
 
RAISE THE BANNERS
•   Niagara will salute the accomplishments of the 2012-13 team one final time, as a pair of banners commemorating last season (Atlantic Hockey Regular Season Champions, NCAA Tournament), will be unveiled in the rafters of Dwyer Arena. 
    
LAST SEASON RECAP
•   Niagara posted a record of 23-10-5 last season and went 20-5-2 (42 points) in Atlantic Hockey Association play to finish first in the league standings.
•   NU advanced to the AHA semifinals for the second consecutive season following a thrilling two-game quarterfinal series with RIT that featured an overtime game.
•   Despite falling to Canisius in the AHA semifinals, the Purple Eagles earned an at-large berth to the NCAA tournament, where they lost to North Dakota in the NCAA West Regional semifinals, 2-1.
•   NU finished 15th in both the final USCHO.com national poll and the final USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine top-15 national poll.
 
HOME WARRIORS
•  The Purps had the best home record in the nation last season at 15-0-2 (.941) which also marked the best home season for Niagara in program history.
•   With the victory over RIT in last season's final home game, NU joined the program's 2005-06 and 2006-07 teams to go 22 consecutive games without a loss which is tied for fifth all-time in college hockey.
•   The streak dates back to the Purple Eagles' 3-3 draw against Air Force on Feb. 11, 2012.
 
PRESEASON FAVORITE
•   The Purps were picked as the team to beat in 2013-14, chosen by the league's coaches to win the conference crown.
•   Niagara earned three first-place votes and a total of 102 points, marking the first time since joining the AHA in 2010-11 that NU was slated at the top.
 
NATIONAL POLLS
•   For the first time in program history, the Purps will begin the season ranked as the team was placed 20th in the first USCHO.com Division I poll of the year.
•   Niagara received 12 votes in the Preseason USA Today/American Hockey Magazine College Hockey Poll, sitting 20th in the nation after the Purps finished last season ranked 15th. 
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
•  Finished the 2012-13 season with a 9-20-7 overall mark, and a 8-11-3 ECAC record which was good enough for a ninth place finish.
•  Senior Allan McPherson is the team's leading returner in both points (25) and assists (16).  Ben Sexton (5-15-20) and Jarrett Burton (12-8-20) also return to the lineup.
•  In the back, the Knights bring back senior Alex Boak, junior James Howden and sophomore Paul Geiger. 
• In goal, the Knights bring back last year's starter, Greg Lewis, who started 33 games overall as a freshman.  He finished the season with a .898 save percentage and a 3.02 goals-against average, while posting two shutouts.

SERIES HISTORY
•  The Purple Eagles and Golden Knights have played ten times since first meeting in the 1997-98 season, and Clarkson holds a slim 5-4-2 advantage.  
•  The Purps are 2-0-1 in the three meetings at Dwyer Arena.  The last home contest came on Oct. 18, 2008 when Niagara beat then No. 14 Clarkson, 4-3.