Friday, March 10:
Tickets |
Live Video & Audio |
Live Stats
Saturday, March 11:
Tickets |
Live Video & Audio |
Live Stats
Sunday, March 12: Tickets |
Live Video & Audio |
Live Stats
Game Notes (Niagara)
The Niagara hockey team knocked out the two-time defending Atlantic Hockey champion RIT Tigers last weekend in a thrilling three-game series. The Purple Eagles picked up a last-minute, come-from-behind 5-4 win to take Game One in the series. After losing 5-0 to RIT in the second game, Niagara took a 2-0 lead in the first four minutes of Game Three and never looked back, wrapping up the series with a 4-1 victory.
This weekend, Niagara reignites the season series with Battle of the Bridge rival Canisius in the best-of-three Atlantic Hockey Quarterfinal round. The series begins on Friday, March 10 at 7:35 p.m. and continues with a second game Saturday, March 11 at 8:05 p.m. If necessary, a decisive Game Three will be played at 6:35 p.m. on Sunday, March 12. All three games will be at the KeyBank Rink at HARBORCENTER in downtown Buffalo, N.Y.
Fans can tune in to 1340 AM WLVL to catch all the action this weekend. Jeremy White will handle the play-by-play duties for Friday and Saturday, with Paul Hamilton calling Game Three if necessary on Sunday. Saturday's Game Two will be regionally televised on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel (Ch. 52 and 323 in Buffalo) with Kevin Sylvester on play-by-play and Randy Schultz on color. Web streaming packages are available through AtlanticHockey.tv, with single games priced at $12 and full tournament packages at $39.Â
What to Watch For
• The Niagara hockey team faces off against the Canisius Golden Griffins in a three-game Atlantic Hockey quarterfinal series this weekend. The Purple Eagles and Golden Griffins face off in the postseason for a second consecutive season.
• Niagara enters the quarterfinal series after a thrilling three-game win in the Atlantic Hockey First Round against the RIT Tigers.
• Niagara won Game One by scoring three times in the final four minutes, including a pair of shorthanded goals, to turn a late 4-2 deficit into a 5-4 victory. RIT game back and shut out Niagara 5-0 to force a decisive third game.
• In Game Three, the Purple Eagles'
Kris Spriggs and
Sam Rennaker scored in the game's first four minutes,
Stanislav Dzakhov added a pair of third-period tallies, and
Jackson Teichroeb made 42 saves as Niagara led wire-to-wire in a 4-1 victory.Â
• Since moving to the Atlantic Hockey Conference, Niagara is 3-1 in Game Three situations, and 6-5 overall with a chance to clinch a best-of-three series victory.
• Niagara is 6-3 in Atlantic Hockey Quarterfinals play since moving to the conference beginning in the 2010-11 season. Three out of four times Niagara has been in the quarterfinals, the team has advanced to the semifinals at Blue Cross Arena.
• With two games guaranteed between Niagara and Canisius in this series, the two Buffalo rivals will meet six times in one season for the first time ever, with the possibility of a seventh game on Sunday, March 12 if necessary.
• The Purple Eagles have found new life in the postseason after an injury-filled regular season. Niagara has now lost 220 man-games to injury through 37 games in the 2016-17 campaign and had eight players injured in the pivotal 4-1 win that clinced the series win over RIT.
Teichroeb Takes Charge
• Niagara senior goaltender
Jackson Teichroeb has played his best hockey in the postseason throughout his collegiate career.
• Entering the quarterfinal series at Canisius, Teichroeb is now 9-8 in 17 career postseason games with a 2.41 goals-against average, .931 save percentage, and one shutout.Â
• In three games last season against Canisius in the Atlantic Hockey First Round, Teichroeb set a playoff career-high with a 2.05 goals-against average and added a .932 save percentage, allowing just six goals on 88 shots.
• Teichroeb set a career-high with 58 saves on March 7, 2015 at Holy Cross in a 2-1 triple-overtime loss. He came back the next night and helped Niagara to a series-clinching 5-3 win with 49 saves in Game Three.
Purple Eagles In The Playoffs
• Junior
Stanislav Dzakhov, sophomores
Johnny Curran and
Sam Rennaker, and freshman
Kris Spriggs all scored three points in three games to lead Niagara offensively in last weekend's RIT series.
• Rennaker scored both of Niagara's game-winning goals in the RIT series, with his Game Three goal just under four minutes in proving to be the eventual series-clinching goal.
• Curran (2+2) and Rennaker (3+1), who played on a line with Dzakhov during the RIT series, each have four points in six career playoff games entering the Canisius series.
•
TJ Sarcona (0+8 in 17 GP) and
Stephen Pietrobon (3+4 in 17 GP) are Niagara's current leading career playoff scorers.
Game Three Heroics
• Niagara goaltender
Jackson Teichroeb made 42 saves in the team's 4-1 series-clinching win at RIT, while
Stanislav Dzakhov led all scorers with two goals and one assist.
Kris Spriggs and
Sam Rennaker scored in the first four minutes to open up an early lead for the Purple Eagles, and with a narrow 2-1 lead in the final period, Dzakhov scored a power-play goal and added a late empty-netter to seal the victory.
• With the win Sunday at RIT, Niagara is now 3-1 in Game Three situations since entering Atlantic Hockey in 2010.
Shorthanded Effort Wins Game One At RIT
• Niagara scored three goals in the final four minutes of Game One against the RIT Tigers, including two shorthanded goals, to take a 5-4 win on March 3.
•
Vinny Muto scored shorthanded with 3:54 to play to make it 4-3 RIT, and after
Johnny Curran tied the game,
Sam Rennaker scored with 10 seconds left on a shorthanded three-on-one to win 5-4.
• The last time Niagara scored twice shorthanded in one game was Oct. 12, 2013, a 6-4 win at home over Canisius.Â
Ringing In The New Season
• Since Atlantic Hockey adopted the new best-of-three first round format in 2012, the Purple Eagles are only team to finish the regular season as the last seed and win a first round series.
• The Purple Eagles have now done so twice, upsetting RIT last weekend and defeating Holy Cross in three games during the first round of the 2015 postseason.
Niagara-Canisius Playoff History
• Niagara and Canisius have faced off five times before in the Atlantic Hockey postseason prior to this season's quarterfinal series. Canisius holds a 4-1 lead in the all-time playoff series.
• Last season, the Purple Eagles took a 1-0 lead in an AHC First Round series with a 3-2 victory, but Canisius came back with wins of 1-0 and 4-1 to advance to the quarterfinals.
• Canisius defeated Niagara 5-3 in the 2013 Atlantic Hockey Semifinals, and the Golden Griffins also won 6-3 in a 2011 first-round matchup at Dwyer Arena.
Stay connected with the Purple Eagles through social media. Follow Niagara Athletics on TwitterÂ
@NUPurpleEagles and for hockey updates, followÂ
@NiagaraUHockey. Check in with the Purple Eagles onÂ
Facebook.com/PurpleEagles and on InstagramÂ
@NUPurpleEagles.
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