SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Staring down a two-goal deficit at the end of the first period, the Niagara men's hockey team came out of the dressing room flying to start the second. The Purple Eagles (10-13-3, 9-8-3 AHA) scored three straight goals, then tied the game up again at 4-4 before ultimately dropping Friday afternoon's contest to AIC (14-12-1, 14-8-1 AHA).
 
Game Recap

• Less than five minutes into the game, Cole Weaver made his presence known by stonewalling the AIC attack with two terrific saves on odd-man chances. The first was with a forward alone on the doorstep that he corralled with the glove, while the second was a sprawling effort that prevented the puck from skipping across a wide-open crease.
• With Ben Sokay in the box to start the second, Reed Robinson scored the game's third special teams goal by stealing the puck and rifling it into a yawning AIC net. The tally cut the Yellow Jackets' lead to 2-1 with 1:40 elapsed in the middle period.
• Ludwig Stenlund tied things up at the 6:06 mark on a pass from Johnny Curran. Stenlund reeled in the puck and hesitated just long enough to split the four Yellow Jackets between him and the net. With the shooting lane clear, Stenlund wristed the puck above the glove of AIC's Skog and into the upper corner.
• Six minutes later, a collective gasp was audible throughout the MassMututal Center following Stenlund's second goal of the period. The freshman scored his team-high 13th of the year by blowing a long shot past everybody from the top of the right circle and into the cage.
• After two goals from the Yellow Jackets put the hosts back on top, a booming shot from Stenlund at the point was redirected into the back of the net by Eric Cooley, tying the game at four apiece early in the third period.

 
Beyond The Boxscore

• For the fifth consecutive game, Stenlund struck for a goal. He is the first Purple Eagle with a five-game goal-scoring streak since Ryan Murphy pieced together one of his own in 2012.
• In the team's seven games since returning from the winter break, Stenlund has amassed 13 points (7 G, 6 A) and has only been held scoreless once (January 5 at RIT).
• With a goal and an assist today, Robinson has now posted back-to-back games with multiple points. Dating back to January 11 at Holy Cross, the freshman has six points (2 G, 4 A) in his last five games.
• Noah Delmas extended his scoring streak to four games with an assist in the third period. The junior has now recorded six points (2 G, 4 A) in his last four outings.

 
Up Next

• Tomorrow will be the fourth and final meeting of the regular season between these two teams. The puck will drop at 1:05 p.m. inside the MassMututal Center. Following the game, six of the team's final seven games will be played at home.

 
 
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