Friday: Tickets | Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats | Game Notes (Niagara) | Game Notes (Bentley)
Saturday: Tickets | Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats | Game Notes (Niagara) | Game Notes (Bentley)

Off to its best six-game start to a season in 10 years, the Niagara Purple Eagles hockey team looks to continue its hot start to the season against the Bentley Falcons. Niagara is riding high after a two-game road sweep of Sacred Heart last weekend, giving them their first 3-0 start to conference play for the first time since 2012-13. Opening faceoff between the Purple Eagles and Falcons is set for 7:05 p.m. on both Friday, Nov. 3 and Saturday, Nov. 4.

Both games can be streamed live on AtlanticHockey.tv while Friday's game will be televised locally on LCTV. Jeremy White has the play-by-play call on WLVL 1340 AM on Friday, while Steve Warzala takes over for Saturday.

Quick Turnaround
• After going 3-28-3 in the regular season last year, Niagara is 4-2-0 to start the 2017-18 campaign, the first under new head coach Jason Lammers. It is the best six-game start to a season for Niagara since the team started 5-1 in 2007-08; that club went on to win the CHA Tournament and earn the subsequent NCAA Tournament berth.
• Lammers previously helped UMass Lowell to the second biggest single-season turnaround in program history. In his first year as an assistant coach for the Riverhawks, he helped the team to a 24-13-1 record in 2011-12 after the team went 5-25-4 the year prior.
• Both of Niagara's new assistant coaches, Andy Boschetto and Matt Nicholson, also have experience turning NCAA programs into top contenders.
• Boschetto inherited a D-III team at Salve Regina that went 1-23-1 in 2009-10. The team made its first ECAC Northeast Tournament appearance in 2013, won its most games in a season and advanced to its first NCAA D-III Tournament appearance in 2016, and set a program record for winning percentage in the 2016-17 season.
• Matt Nicholson spent six seasons on Derek Schooley's staff at Robert Morris, helping build the Colonials from a from a 10-win team in 2009-10 to a program-record 24 wins in 2014-15.

Playing the Margins
• The Purple Eagles lead Atlantic Hockey and are 12th in the NCAA with a plus-7 margin in shots per game over their opponents.
• After averaging 34.2 shots against per game over the last three seasons, the Purple Eagles are yielding just 25.8 shots against per game through six games this year, which ranks 13th in the NCAA.
Phenomenal Plouffe
• After scoring eight points (4+4) in 12 games last season before suffering a season-ending injury, Niagara senior Derian Plouffe has matched that exact scoring output in just six games in 2017-18.
• Plouffe was named Player of the Week by Atlantic Hockey on Tuesday after scoring one goal and one assist in both of Niagara's wins at Sacred Heart last weekend. Plouffe had a point on both of Niagara's game-winning goals in the weekend road sweep.
• Plouffe's eight points are the most by a Purple Eagle this season. He is also in a tie for second in the AHC and is tied for 36th in the nation.

Heat Wave in October
• Noah Delmas and Derian Plouffe have opened the season on matching six-game point streaks to start the season for Niagara.
• Delmas (1+6) has one assist in all six games and he scored his first collegiate goal at home against RPI on Oct. 20. He was named Defensive Player of the Week by Atlantic Hockey on Oct. 24.
• Plouffe (4+4) leads the Purple Eagles and is second in the AHC with eight points this season. He had one goal and one assist in both of Niagara's games at Sacred Heart last weekend.
• A two-time Atlantic Hockey Player of the Week, Plouffe is tied for the Atlantic Hockey lead in power-play scoring (3+2) and has one shorthanded goal.

Wilson Named Goaltender of the Week
• After his standout effort helping the Purple Eagles to two wins at Sacred Heart last weekend, freshman Brian Wilson was named Goaltender of the Week by Atlantic Hockey on Tuesday.
• Wilson picked up his first career win on Oct. 27. After entering the game 2:53 into the first period with Niagara trailing 2-0, Wilson made 13 saves to keep the Purple Eagles in the game as the offense came back to make it a 3-2 victory.
• The next night, Wilson doubled his win total with 24 saves in a 6-2 victory for the Purple Eagles over the Pioneers.

Shorthanded Efforts Paying Off
• Through the first month of the season, Niagara leads the NCAA with three shorthanded goals. The Purple Eagles scored twice while on the penalty kill in a four-goal third period in the team's 6-2 win over Sacred Heart last weekend.
• Niagara's three shorthanded goals have come on just eight shots, a shooting percentage of .375.

Cardiac Kids
• Niagara has won both of its overtime games to start the season, taking overtime wins over Robert Morris (Oct. 6) and RPI (Oct. 20). The Purple Eagles were 0-1-3 in overtime games last year.
• Niagara is currently 3-0 in one-goal games after being 2-6 in those situations a year ago.

Scouting the Falcons
• Bentley has opened the 2017-18 season with six conference games, accumulating a record of 1-3-2.
• The Falcons earned their first win of the season with a 4-3 victory over Mercyhurst on Oct. 27, and they also earned a pair of ties against the American International Yellow Jackets.
• Niagara enters the weekend with a 9-3-2 advantage in the all-time series against the Falcons. Both of the last three two-game series between Niagara and Bentley resulted in splits.
• Last season, Niagara welcomed Bentley to Dwyer Arena for a two-game series on Jan. 13 and 14. Bentley won the first game 6-3, but the Purple Eagles rallied for a 3-1 victory the following night.
• Senior forward Kyle Schmidt is Bentley's engine on offense. He leads the Falcons with five points (2+3) this season. Among current active NCAA players, he ranks fourth in career goals (43) and ninth in career points (94).
• Schmidt also has six points (3+3) in six career games against Niagara to lead the current group of Falcons.
• Goaltender Jayson Argue leads the Falcons between the pipes. He is 1-2-2 this season and ranks fourth in the AHC in save percentage (.928) and seventh in goals-against average (2.51).
• Jake Kauppila is tied with Schmidt for the team lead at two goals, while Drew Callin and Jonathan Desbiens match his three assists.

Stay connected with the Purple Eagles through social media. Follow Niagara Athletics on Twitter @NUPurpleEagles and for hockey updates, follow Niagara hockey on Twitter and Instagram. Check in with the Purple Eagles on Facebook.com/PurpleEagles and on Instagram @NUPurpleEagles.