PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Niagara Purple Eagles hockey team played the final game of the 2016-17 regular season in front of a crowd of 3,219 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pa., the second outdoor game in program history after the team played at Frontier Field in Rochester back in 2013. Sam Rennaker scored the lone goal for Niagara in a 5-1 loss to the Robert Morris Colonials, the final game before the start of the Atlantic Hockey postseason.
 
As the 11th seed in Atlantic Hockey, Niagara will be playing at sixth-seeded RIT starting on Friday, March 3 at 7:05 p.m. The best-of-three series will head to a second game in Rochester at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday, March 4, and a deciding third game on Sunday, March 5 if necessary.
 
Game Summary

• Final Score: Robert Morris 5, Niagara 1
• Niagara Goal Scorers: Sam Rennaker
• Niagara Assists: Keegan Harper, Niko Kovachis
• In Goal: Jackson Teichroeb (1-14-2) – 2 GA, 13 SV; Joe O'Brien – 1 GA, 12 SV; Guillaume Therien – 2 GA, 11 SV
• Power Plays: Niagara – 0-for-4 (3 SOG); Robert Morris – 0-for-6 (8 SOG)
• Records: Niagara – 3-28-3 (3-23-2 AHC); Robert Morris – 19-11-4 (15-10-3 AHC)
• Location: Heinz Field – Pittsburgh, Pa.
• Attendance: 3,219

 
Game Recap

• Each of Niagara's goaltenders played one period in the final game of the regular season. Jackson Teichroeb started and finished the first period with 13 saves after stopping 33 pucks in a loss to Robert Morris Saturday night at Dwyer Arena.
• Robert Morris took a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes of play on a pair of goals that came from two-on-one rushes. Brandon Watt opened the scoring at the 12:17 mark of the first period, and Spencer Dorowicz set up Rob Mann with 24 seconds left until the intermission to double the Colonials' advantage.
• Niagara was able to slice the deficit in half just over four minutes into the second period. Niko Kovachis fed Keegan Harper across the blue line, and Sam Rennaker was able to deflect Harper's shot home past Colonials goaltender Francis Marotte.
• Joe O'Brien was perfect against the Colonials on the first 10 shots he faced, but with 3:17 before the second intermission, Luke Lynch was able to stuff a rebound past O'Brien's outstretched pad to make it 3-1.
• Niagara held pace with Robert Morris in terms of possession in the third period, putting 11 shots on Marotte, but the Purple Eagles were unable to find a second goal.
• Guillaume Therien, who played the third period for Niagara, made 11 saves in the final period.
• Alex Tonge converted on an odd-man rush with just under nine minutes left in regulation, and Jacob Coleman scored the final tally for Robert Morris at the 15:32 mark for a final score of 5-1.

 
Inside the Numbers

• After missing 14 games due to injury, defenseman Niko Kovachis closed the regular season on a three-game assist streak with his helper on Rennaker's goal, which he will carry into Friday night's playoff opener.
• Sam Rennaker picked up the fifth goal of his sophomore campaign, and closed the regular season with three points (2+1) in Niagara's last four games.
• Kovachis and Muto led all skaters with a game-high four blocked shots, as Niagara held a 16-7 advantage in that category at Heinz Field.
• Niagara generated 15 shots on goal in the second period, the second-most by the team in any period this season. The Purple Eagles set a season-high with 18 shots on goal against AIC on Jan. 20.

 
Up Next

• Niagara opens the Atlantic Hockey postseason with a first-round matchup at the Rochester Institute of Technology next weekend. The first two games are slated for 7:05 p.m. on March 3 and 4, with a deciding game to be played on March 5 if necessary.

Photo courtesy of Justin Berl
 
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