Friday: Game Notes | Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio
Saturday: Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio
 
The Niagara Purple Eagles continue their playoff march with an AHA semifinal matchup against the No. 20 Robert Morris Colonials. Games one and two will be played at 7:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, respectively. If necessary, game three is scheduled for Sunday at 7:00 p.m.
 
Back To The Quarterfinals

• This will be the fourth consecutive season that the Purple Eagles will play in the AHA quarterfinals. The last three trips have all seen NU advance to Rochester for an appearance in the semifinals.
• In 2012, NU swept Robert Morris winning 3-0 and 2-1 in Dwyer Arena.
• In 2013 it swept RIT winning game one 3-2 and game two 2-1 in OT at home.
• Last year it took all three games but NU won both games two and three 4-3 (game three took OT) to advance to the semis.

 
THE Playoff Rivalry

• This weekend's series will be the seventh all-time postseason meeting and third time since joining the Atlantic Hockey Association. It will be the second time they meet in the AHA quarterfinals.
• The Purple Eagles hold a 5-2 edge in the seven all-time postseason games.
• The two programs went head-to-head four times in the College Hockey America playoffs from 2005-09.
• After making the move to the AHA for the 2010-11 season, the Purple Eagles swept the quarterfinal matchup 3-0 and 2-1 at Dwyer in 2012.
• The Colonials came out on top 5-4 in overtime last season in the winner-take-all AHA semifinal game in Rochester, N.Y. The Colonials went on to win the AHA Championship.

 
History 101

• The Purple Eagles are 1-3-0 this season against RMU after earning a 2-1 win at home on Feb. 27.
• Isaac Kohls scored twice and Jackson Teichroeb made 35 saves to help take the Feb 27 Senior Night matchup, 2-1.
• This weekend's series will be played at 84 Lumber Arena where NU holds a 7-8-6 record.
• The all-time series began with a 4-4 draw on Jan. 28, 2005 at Robert Morris, before the Colonials took game two of the all-time series 6-0 the following day.
• Niagara's first win over the Colonials came on March 5, 2005 when it took game two of that season's playoff series by a 3-1 score. It won the series with a 5-1 victory in game three.
• Niagara was on a seven-game unbeaten streak (3-0-4) versus the Colonials at the 84 Lumber Arena dating back to 2008-09 season before the 6-5 OT loss on Feb. 16, 2013.

 
Last Time Out

• Niagara took RMU to the wire and got another stellar effort from Teichroeb, but lost a tight regular season finale 2-1 on Feb. 27 at 84 Lumber Arena.
• Phil Nasca got the Purple Eagles on the board in the second period to tie the game at 1-1. Robert Morris added a power-play goal eight minutes into the third period to take the final 2-1 lead.

 
Taking On The Colonials

• Several Purple Eagles have fond memories going up against Robert Morris. Hugo Turcotte (11/17/12), Tyler Akeson (10/19/13), and Brock Edwards (10/19/13) all recorded their first career goal against the Colonials.
• Nasca (10/19/13) recorded his first collegiate point against RMU while Patrick Conte (2/13/14) collected his first assist.
• TJ Sarcona collected a career-best two assists on March 21, 2014.
• Former Purple Eagle captain Matt Caruana became a member of the 100-point club with a pair of goals against RMU on Nov. 9, 2007.

 
Big Dan's Big Benchmark

• Dan Kolenda is set to play in his 100th game on Friday night. The junior has 14 goals and 22 assists for 36 points in his 99 career games.
• He will be the sixth Purple Eagle to hit that benchmark this season. He joins Sam Alfieri, Kevin Albers, Isaac Kohls, Chris Lochner, and Hugo Turcotte.
• He is the second member of the junior class to hit the 100-game total. Turcotte crossed the line in game two against Holy Cross.

 
First Round Recap

• It took all three games, but the Niagara Purple Eagles "upset" the Holy Cross Crusaders in the opening round of the playoffs.
• They won game one with a two-goal rally in the third period. An early goal from Kevin Patterson erased a one-goal deficit before Luke Edwards put Niagara in front six minutes later. Robert Angiolella, who was playing in his first game since Jan. 24, and Stephen Pietrobon assisted on both tallies to both finish with a game-high two points.
• Game two was a slightly different animal. Niagara trailed heading into the second period before Stanislav Dzakhov evened the game at 1-1 a minute into the frame. Lawrence Smith started the play with a textbook two-line pass that sent Sarcona and Dzakhov in on a 2-on-1 rush. Sarcona fed Dzakhov who wired wrist shot into the top corner.
• From there it was a goaltending duel as neither team would score in the next 90:40 until Holy Cross was able to convert a rebound in front. Teichroeb made 58 saves through the total 111:40 played, which was the longest game in both Niagara and AHA history and landed as the eighth longest game in NCAA Division I history.
• Chris Lochner tallied the game winner for Niagara in game three just two minutes into the final period while his team was on the power-play. The Purple Eagles were led by Lawrence Smith (1g, 1a), Kevin Patterson (1g, 1a), and TJ Sarcona (2a) who tied for a game-high two points each. Teichroeb made another 47 stops to cement the win.
• The series was the second time Niagara played in the best-of-three opening round of the AHA playoffs since joining the conference in 2010. NU earned a first-round bye in 2012 and 2013. It was also the first time the Purple Eagles and Crusaders met in the postseason.

 
Putting The "Special" In Special Teams

• Niagara relied heavily on its special team units to take the series-deciding game three against Holy Cross.
• The power-play went 3-for-5 for its best showing of the year. Patterson, Keegan Harper, and Lochner all scored while the Purple and White held a man-advantage. Lochner's tally was the game winner.
• Not to be outdone, the penalty killers went a perfect 5-for-5, including killing off a penalty with four-minutes left in regulation and NU holding onto a one-goal lead.

 
Jackson Teichroeb's Goaltending Clinic

• Teichroeb won Travel Team USA Goaltender of the Week after standing on his head and helping the Purple Eagles take their first round series 2-1.
• The sophomore was the cornerstone of the Purple Eagle's first round victory, making a total of 136 saves on 142 shots for a .958 save percentage and posting a 1.55 goals against average.
• He made 31 saves on 32 shots to help Niagara take game one, 2-1, before smashing his career record with 58 saves (28 in regulation with another 30 in overtime) in Saturday's wild 2-1 three-overtime loss. He helped the Purple and White advance to the second round with another 47 saves, including 18 in the third period, to secure a 5-3 win on Sunday.