Friday, Nov. 24: Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats | Game Notes
Saturday, Nov. 25: Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats | Game Notes

The Niagara Purple Eagles hockey team heads to Springfield, Massachusetts for a two-game Thanksgiving series against the American International Yellow Jackets. Opening faceoff is set for 2:05 p.m. on Black Friday, Nov. 24, before the Purple Eagles and Yellow Jackets wrap up the weekend at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 25.

Earlier this week, Niagara scored first and took a 3-1 lead after 40 minutes against seventh-ranked Cornell, but the Big Red broke through Niagara's defense with four goals in the third period to claim a 5-4 win. Noah Delmas (0+2) and Derian Plouffe (1+1) each had two points, and Justin Kendall, Zach Mills, and Jack Zielinski all scored their first career points.

Delmas On Point
• Sophomore defenseman Noah Delmas ranks SECOND in the NCAA at his position in scoring, with 15 points (1+14) through 11 games.
• His 14 assists lead Atlantic Hockey and are the fourth-most by any player in the NCAA.

Back in the Polls
• On Monday, the Purple Eagles received votes in the USCHO.com poll for the third-straight week, receiving a season-high seven points on Monday.
• It is the first time Niagara has received votes three straight weeks since March 2013 when the Purple Eagles earned the first at-large berth by any Atlantic Hockey team to the NCAA Tournament.
• Niagara is 133-93-17 all-time when ranked or receiving votes in a national poll, including a 48-56-11 record on the road.

Making the Junior Jump
• Niagara's junior class has powered the majority of the team's offense this season, accounting for just over 40 percent of the Niagara scoring (37 of 92 points) through 11 games.
• Juniors Tanner Lomsnes (9+3) is third on the team in scoring with 12 points, while Johnny Curran (5+4) and Sean King (3+5) are fourth and fifth on the team in scoring, respectively.
• The trio of King, Lomsnes, and Nick Farmer has combined for 20 points in Niagara's last seven games. 
• Lomsnes leads the way in that group with 10 points in seven games; he recorded eight points (6+2) in a four-game scoring streak from Oct. 27 to Nov. 3 and has a goal in two straight games entering Friday at AIC.

Cardiac Kids
• Niagara is currently 5-1 in one-goal games after being 2-6 in those situations a year ago, with the first loss coming Tuesday at Cornell.
• Niagara won its first two overtime games to start the season, taking overtime wins over Robert Morris (Oct. 6) and RPI (Oct. 20). before a 3-3 tie against Bentley on Nov. 3.

Scouting the Yellow Jackets
• American International returns to the MassMutual Center to host the Purple Eagles after losing two road games at Robert Morris last weekend by scores of 3-1 and 4-0. The Yellow Jackets had entered that series on a three-game winning streak.
• Niagara is 12-7-1 against American International all-time, but the Yellow Jackets won three of four games in last season's series.
• The Purple Eagles hold a 6-1-1 advantage in road games against the Yellow Jackets.
• Freshman goaltender Stefano Durante has taken hold in goal for the Yellow Jackets, earning a 3-3-0 record in AIC's last six games with a 2.07 goals-against average and .919 save percentage in that time.
• On the season, Durante leads Atlantic Hockey with a 1.99 goals-against average and is second in save percentage at .922.
• Like Niagara, AIC is led in scoring by a defenseman, freshman Brennan Kapcheck, who has 11 points (3+8) in 14 games. 
• Martin Mellberg is second and leads the forwards with 10 points (3+7) while forwards Blake Christensen and Shawn McBride and defenseman Janis Jaks are tied for the team lead with four goals apiece.