Game Notes
Friday –
Live Stats /
Live Audio /
Live Video
Saturday –
Live Stats /
Live Audio /
Live Video
NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. - The Niagara hockey team travels to UConn for a weekend series tilt in Storrs, Connecticut. Faceoff for the Atlantic Hockey Association showdown is set for 7:05 p.m. on Friday and 4:05 p.m. on Saturday at Mark Edwards Freitas Ice Forum.
Niagara will enter games four and five of its current eight-game road trip still in search of its first win on the road (0-7-1); they do not play again at Dwyer Arena until Jan. 10-11. The previous stop for the Purple Eagles was at then-No. 14 Cornell Big Red where NU was stymied, 4-2. Niagara is tied with UConn and Canisius for third place in the Atlantic Hockey Association with seven points and a 3-2-1 mark, while going 3-9-1 in its first 13 games.
UConn welcomes NU to The Forum with a 4-5-2 overall record. The Huskies recently went 0-1-1 against Canisius in AHA play to push their league mark to 3-2-1 on the season, their best conference start since becoming a part of Atlantic Hockey in the 2003-04 season.
KEEP UP WITH ALL THE ACTION
• Friday's and Saturday's contest will be available via the American One Network, and will be broadcasted live on WLVL and on Purple Eagles All-Access, with Jeremy White on the call. You can follow the game via live stats as well by clicking on the appropriate link above.
COMEBACK EFFORT FALLS SHORT TO NO. 14 CORNELL
• Niagara dug itself out of a two-goal hole against then-No. 14 Cornell only to fall to the hosts 4-2 from the James Lynah Rink on Nov. 26.
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Dan Kolenda and
TJ Sarcona recorded tallies in the second frame to knot the contest, but the Big Red buried a goal with four seconds remaining in the second period to extend the Purple Eagles' losing streak to three games and leave NU winless in conference play on the season. Cornell goaltender Mitch Gillam scored an empty net goal to solidify the victory.
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Adrian Ignagni wrapped up the evening with 23 saves.
• The game finished with Cornell holding a 27-26 advantage in shots over NU. The Purple Eagles' power play went 1-for-3, while Cornell went 1-for-5 on the man-advantage.
THE LEADERS
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Ryan Rashid,
Hugo Turcotte,
Mike Conderman and
Isaac Kohls lead the Purple Eagles in scoring with eight points each. Rashid and Turcotte have four goals and four assists apiece, while Conderman and Kohls have netted a trio of goals and added a team-best five helpers.
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Kevin Ryan is first with a +6 plus/minus rating.
• Turcotte leads the squad with 52 shots on goal.
Hugo Turcotte is close behind with 49 looks on net.
SERIES HISTORY
• The all-time series between Niagara and UConn is deadlocked at 3-3-0, with the first meeting coming on Dec. 3 and 4, 2010.
• The Purps are 0-2 all-time against UConn at Mark Edwards Freitas Ice Forum.
SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
• UConn currently owns a 4-5-2 overall mark, while owning a 3-2-1 AHA mark. The Huskies are tied with Niagara and Canisius for fourth place in the AHA standings with seven points.
• The Huskies are averaging 2.5 goals a game and are allowing 2.7, placing them 40th and 28th in the nation, respectively.
• The power play has gone 9-for-37 while the penalty kill is 23-for-31, ranking them ninth and 54th in the NCAA, respectively.
• UConn has been the least penalized team in the country through their first eleven games this season. The Huskies are averaging just 7.0 penalty minutes per game.
• Billy Latta and Jordan Sims lead the team in scoring with eight points each. Lata is tops on the team with four goals and has added four assists, while Sims leads the squad with six helpers and has added a pair of goals. Trevor Gerling (3-4-7) and Shawn Pauly (3-3-6) have also contributed offensively for the Huskies.
• In the net Matt Grogan has been the go-to goaltender as the senior as play in nine of eleven games thus far. He has made 269 saves for a .915 save percentage and a 2.78 goals-against average.
BRRRR…IT'S COLD OUT HERE!
• After its weekend series at UConn, Niagara will play RIT on Saturday, Dec. 14 to take part in The Greater Rochester Area Honda Dealers Frozen Frontier presented by Labatt, an outdoor hockey festival to be held at Frontier Field. The contest will make the program's first outdoor game. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. with a backup date scheduled for the following evening in case of inclement weather.
• Ticket prices for the game are as follows: $10 (Limited View), $15 (100 level) and $25 (200 level). Tickets can be purchased over the phone by calling the Gordon Field House Box Office at 585-475-4121, in person at the Gordon Field House Box Office or at the Frontier Field Box Office.
