PURPLE EAGLES MEN'S HOCKEY
AHA PLAYOFFS	Niagara Purple Eagles (16-18-5, 11-12-5 AHA) vs. RIT Tigers (17-16-4, 13-11-4 AHA)
SEMIFINAL	Friday, March 22 | 7:30 PM
LOCATION	HarborCenter – Buffalo, NY
TICKETS	Tickets.com
RADIO	1340 AM / 105.3 FM WLVL
LIVE VIDEO	StretchInternet.com
LIVE AUDIO	PurpleEagles.com
LIVE STATS	Sidearm Stats

The Niagara men's hockey team season continues in the Atlantic Hockey Association semifinal against Western New York rival RIT. A win for the Purple Eagles would give them their first-ever berth in the AHA Championship game.

Matchup Preview

• This will be the fifth meeting of the season between the Purple Eagles and the Tigers. RIT won the regular season series, 2-1-1, but Niagara came away victorious, 4-2, in the most recent matchup on February 27.
• This will be the fourth time Niagara has battled RIT in the conference postseason tournament. The 11-seed Purple Eagles upset the sixth-seeded Tigers in three games in the first round of the 2017 playoffs. After winning the regular season in 2014, Niagara dispatched RIT in two straight to earn their most recent semifinal appearance. The only time RIT has advanced past Niagara came in 2012, when the Tigers won a 2-1 decision in overtime in the conference semis.
• Historically, Niagara is 4-2-0 against RIT in six postseason games. All-time, the Purple Eagles are 19-12-14 against their thruway foe.

 
Niagara Notes

• Since the playoffs began, Niagara has averaged 18.6 blocked shots per game, including three games with at least 20. The Purple Eagles had three regular season games with at least 20 blocked shots (20 at RIT on December 15, 24 vs. Canisius on February 23, and 27 at Robert Morris on November 3). Niagara went 5-1-0 in those six games with 20 or more, with goaltender Brian Wilson making at least 30 saves in four of those contests.
• Freshman forward Ludwig Stenlund accounted for five points (2 G, 3 A) against Air Force to overtake Noah Delmas for the team lead in points. Stenlund ended the regular season as the nation's top rookie in terms of goals (19), points (34), power play goals (9), power play points (15) and shorthanded goals (3). Stenlund's goals, power play goals, and shorthanded goals tallies led all Atlantic Hockey skaters. His three shorties were tied for the most among all skaters in Division I.
• With game one of the Air Force series requiring overtime, five of Niagara's last eight games (two regular season, three postseason) have gone into extra frames totaling an extra 49:35 played.
• The overtime victory over the Falcons was the team's first road win in overtime since November 8, 2014, a 3-2 win over Bentley. The sweep was also the team's first away from Dwyer Arena since December 1-2, 2017 at Air Force.
• Tyler Hayes opened the scoring in game two with his first-ever even-strength goal for the Purple and White. Hayes' only other career tally was a shorthanded strike against Mercyhurst on November 15, 2016.

Scouting The Tigers

• The fifth-seeded Tigers are coming off a three-game win over Sacred Heart in the quarterfinal round. RIT dropped game one, 9-4, but used 7-3 and 3-1 victories to finish off the Pioneers.
• Since the beginning of February, RIT is 5-7-1 with a record of 4-4-0 away from home ice.
• Abbott Girduckis leads the Tigers in assists (25) and points (36). Erik Brown paces the team in goals (18).
• Goaltender Logan Drackett ended the regular season with the second-best save percentage (.911) in the conference. He was also third in goals-against average (2.58), tied for fourth in wins (12), and sixth in win percentage (.487).

 
 
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