WALTHAM, Mass. – Despite an energetic push late in the game, the Niagara men's hockey team fell at Bentley on Saturday night by a 4-2 score. The Falcons held a 3-0 lead for more nearly 55 minutes before the Purple Eagles struck twice in a little more than two minutes to make it a one-goal game. Bentley then added an empty netter to halt Niagara's furious comeback bid.
 
Game Recap

• With 5:15 to play in the first, Niagara trailed 2-0. Ben Sokay raced into the Bentley zone down the left flank and ripped his shot past the goaltender's right arm, but clanged the puck off the post and had it bounce away.
• As the first wound down, Bentley countered to turn a Niagara rush into an odd-man situation. The Falcons took the puck right to the crease, but Brian Wilson athletically rejected the initial shot, as well as the desperate rebound pass from under the red line.
• With the Purple Eagles on the power play at the midway mark of the second period, Noah Delmas took a long shot from the point that got deflected on its way to the net, avoided the goalie, but hit the far pipe and skittered away.
• Luke Edgerton pinged the third bar of the night for Niagara with 4:03 to go in the middle stanza. Edgerton had the goalie bite low, so he went high, but shot the puck off the cross bar and into the glass.
• After the third period media timeout ended with fewer than seven minutes left in regulation, Niagara pulled Wilson in favor of an extra attacker. The move paid dividends quickly, as the Purple Eagles got on the board with 5:07 to play. Brandon Stanley took an Eric Cooley pass from down low and ripped a one-timer in front. The shot hit Ryan Cox in the leg and deflected over the left shoulder of Bentley's netminder for a goal.

Take another look! pic.twitter.com/QEDWXbvN1N

— Niagara Hockey (@NiagaraMHKY) February 2, 2020

• With three minutes remaining and the net still empty for Niagara, the Purple Eagles once again mounted an attack that cut the deficit even more. Ryan Naumovski dug the puck free from behind the Falcons' net and slipped a quick pass to a charging Ben Sokay, who wristed the puck five-hole to make it 3-2.

CHAMPIONSHIP MINDSET! Sokay narrows the gap to one with three minutes to go!

3-2 Falcons, and Wilson is back on the ice.#Uncommon pic.twitter.com/lB2e1chRZR

— Niagara Hockey (@NiagaraMHKY) February 2, 2020

 
Up Next

• The Purple Eagles will open up a home-and-home against Mercyhurst at Dwyer Arena on February 7 at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased on Ticketmaster or by contacting the ticket office at 716-286-TIXX And as always, Coach Lammers encourages all fans to attend his public press conference following the conclusion of the game.

 
 
Stay connected with Niagara Hockey on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Niagara Athletics all year long on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and purpleeagles.com.