Friday, Dec. 1: Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats | Game Notes (Niagara) | Game Notes (Air Force)
Saturday, Dec. 2: Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats | Game Notes (Niagara) | Game Notes (Air Force)

The Niagara Purple Eagles hockey team closes out a five-game road trip this weekend, flying west to take on the Air Force Falcons in a two-game series at Cadet Ice Arena, the first two of four games this season between the Purple Eagles and Falcons. Opening faceoff is set for 9:05 p.m. ET on Friday, Dec. 1 and 7:05 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 2.
 
This weekend's series marks the 67th and 68th games between Niagara and Air Force, the most the Purple Eagles have played against any college hockey team. The Purple Eagles hold a 33-28-5 edge in the all-time series.
 
Back in the Polls
• On Monday, the Purple Eagles received votes in the USCHO.com poll for the fourth-straight week, garnering a season-high 19 points on Monday.
• For the first time this season, Niagara holds the most votes in the national poll of any team in Atlantic Hockey, and the Purple Eagles are just three spots out of the top 20.
 
Delmas On Point
• Niagara is led in scoring this season by sophomore defenseman Noah Delmas. After recording 15 assists in 35 games as a freshman, Delmas has 16 points (1+15) in just 13 games this season.
• Delmas currently leads all NCAA defensemen in assists and is tied with St. Cloud State's Jimmy Schuldt for the national lead in points.
• Delmas has a team-best five games with multiple points this season, and Niagara is 3-1-1 in those games.
• In the 1999-2000 season, Chris Mackenzie set the Niagara record for most points by a defenseman with 32 in 38 games, while he and Timo Makela tied for a program-best 27 assists that year.
 
Lomsnes Takes Charge
• Tanner Lomsnes became the first Purple Eagle to hit 10 goals this season with a power-play tally at AIC on Nov. 25. He also has a team-high four goals on the power play.
• Lomsnes currently ranks second in Atlantic Hockey in goals, trailing only Holy Cross' Scott Pooley, and his 13 points have him tied for 15th in the conference.
• Lomsnes' streak of four straight games with a goal from Oct. 27 to Nov. 4 was the longest such streak by any Niagara player since Ryan Murphy scored in five straight from Nov. 10 to Dec. 1, 2012.
• Niagara is 5-2-1 in games when Lomsnes scores a goal.
 
Phenomenal Plouffe
• After scoring eight points (4+4) in 12 games last season before suffering a season-ending injury, Niagara senior Derian Plouffe matched that exact scoring output in just six games in 2017-18. He is now tied for sixth in the AHC with 15 points in 13 games and enters the Air Force series on a three-game point streak.
• Plouffe was named Player of the Week by Atlantic Hockey on Oct. 31 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.
• He also garnered Player of the Week accolades on Oct. 3 after scoring a power-play goal in Niagara's season opener at Colgate.
 
Wilson Takes Hold In Goal
• Brian Wilson earned his first Travel Team USA Goaltender of the Week accolade from Atlantic Hockey on Oct. 31, picking up two wins and accumulating a 1.02 goals-against average and .949 save percentage in a weekend sweep at Sacred Heart.
• Since entering the Oct. 27 contest at Sacred Heart 2:53 into the game, Wilson has played every minute in goal for Niagara. In that time, he has a 5-3-1 record with a 2.25 goals-against average and .908 save percentage.
• On the season, Wilson is tied for third in Atlantic Hockey in goals-against average (2.43) and is tied for fifth in wins (five).
• Against Atlantic Hockey competition, Wilson is 5-2-1 and has a conference-best 1.89 goals-against average and is second with a .920 save percentage.
 
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 Nov. 21 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 Falcons
• Air Force, last season's Atlantic Hockey champions who advanced to the 2017 NCAA Regional Finals, hosts Niagara this weekend after earning three of four points on the road at Sacred Heart last week.
• Niagara has played more games against Air Force than any other team in college hockey; the Purple Eagles hold the 33-28-5 all-time edge, but Air Force has an 18-14-1 advantage at Cadet Ice Arena.
• Last season, Niagara battled Air Force but narrowly lost 2-1 on Dec. 9, 2016 before a 4-0 loss the following night.
• Air Force is 2-1-2 in its last five games.
• Junior Evan Giesler leads the Falcons in scoring with 12 points in 16 games. Defenseman Matt Koch is tied with Giesler for a team-high eight assists and leads Air Force blueliners with 11 points.
• Jordan Himley rounds out the double-digit scorers for Air Force, totaling 11 points (4+7) so far this season. Up front, Matt Serratore leads the Falcons with six goals.
• Junior Billy Christopoulos has played every minute in goal for the Falcons this season. He has a 2.43 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage. In Atlantic Hockey play, Christopoulos is 3-5-2 with a 2.60 goals-against average and .900 save percentage.
 
Stay connected with the Purple Eagles through social media. Follow Niagara Athletics on Twitter @NUPurpleEagles and follow Purple Eagles hockey on Twitter and Instagram. Check in with the Purple Eagles on Facebook.com/PurpleEagles and on Instagram @NUPurpleEagles.