Friday - Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats | Game Notes (Niagara) | Tickets
Saturday - Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats | Game Notes (Niagara) | Tickets
Games 30-31
Niagara Purple Eagles (11-16-3, 10-11-3 AHC) vs. Sacred Heart Pioneers (7-16-4, 5-12-4 AHC)
Friday, February 9 – 7:05 PM / Saturday, February 10 – 7:05 PM
Dwyer Arena – Niagara University, N.Y.
Broadcast: AtlanticHockey.tv
TV: LCTV (Friday only)
Radio: WLVL 1340 AM – Jeremy White
Internet: Niagara Sports Network
What to Watch For
• The Niagara Purple Eagles hockey team returns home where they play three of their final four games of the regular season, with two against Sacred Heart.
• Earlier this season, Niagara was victorious in two games at Sacred Heart. Niagara overcame a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2 on Oct. 27 and returned the next night with a dominating 6-2 win.
• Last weekend, Niagara dropped two grueling games against Army West Point. After scoring first, Niagara came back to tie the game 2-2 midway through the second period before allowing four unanswered goals in a 6-2 loss on Feb. 2. The Purple Eagles scored late in the third period a night later to tie the game at 1-1, sending it into overtime where it ended 1-1.
• Nic Mucci and Hobey Baker nominee Derian Plouffe both recorded two points on the weekend.
• Several of Niagara's freshmen significantly improved in the month of January. Nic Mucci ranked second on the team in scoring last month with six assists in nine games, followed by Justin Kendall (1+4 in nine games) and Zach Mills (2+2 in seven games).
• Niagara senior forward Derian Plouffe and sophomore defenseman Noah Delmas were announced on Jan. 16 as nominees for the 2018 Hobey Baker Award, given annually to the top player in college hockey.
• Plouffe leads Niagara and is tied for third in the AHC with 32 points (15+17). He leads the AHC with three shorthanded goals and is tied for second in the conference in power-play points (14) and tied for first in game-winning goals (four).
• Delmas is tied for second in the country in scoring by a defenseman with 26 points (3+23), and his 23 assists rank third in Atlantic Hockey. He is also tied with Plouffe in power-play points at 14, ranking first on the team and second in the AHC.
Scouting the Pioneers
• The Pioneers and Purple Eagles face off twice this weekend to settle the four-game season series.
• Sacred Heart went 3-2-1 in its five league games during the month of January, besting their total conference wins to this point in the season.
• Sacred Heart is currently last in Atlantic Hockey with 14 points and a 5-12-4 record in conference play.
• Niagara is 13-5-2 all-time in 20 games against Sacred Heart, including winning the last three matchups.
• A pair of underclassmen lead the Pioneers in scoring, as sophomore Vito Bavaro paces the team in goals (14) and points (23). Freshman Marc Johnstone is a close second in scoring on the team with 21 points (7+14) and leads the team with assists.
• Junior Brett Magnus has started 20 of sacred Heart's 30 games, and currently holds a 7-10-2 record on the season with a 3.44 goals-against average and .899 save percentage. Senior Nathan Perry has 10 games played this season, including one of the two matchups against Niagara earlier this season, and is 0-6-2 with a 3.59 goals-against average and .887 save percentage.
