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Niagara University Athletics

Niagara HKY Celebration following a goal against Omaha on Oct. 7, 2022
4
Winner Niagara NIA 1-0-0
3
Omaha UNO 0-1-0
Winner
Niagara NIA
1-0-0
4
Final
3
Omaha UNO
0-1-0
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 F
Niagara NIA 2 2 0 4
Omaha UNO 0 2 1 3

Game Recap: Men's Ice Hockey |

Purple Eagles Win Season Opener Contest at Omaha

OMAHA, NEB – Four Purple Eagles found the back of the net as Niagara (1-0-0) topped Omaha (0-1-0) 4-3 to spoil the Mavericks home opener Friday night in non-conference college hockey action from Baxter Arena. Chad Veltri finished the game with 31 saves.

Game Recap
First Period
• The Purple Eagles killed the lone penalty of the first period despite facing five shots during the two-minute penalty. Chad Veltri made two saves, while the Purple Eagle PK unit blocked the other three shots. 
• Niagara got on the board first with a goal from Olivier Gauthier, with 13:42 gone in the opening period of play. 
• The Purple and White would take a two-goal lead on a breakaway 18:32 into the contest when Veltri and Josef Mysak got the puck to transfer Casey Carreau for the goal. 
• Veltri would stop five shots in the first period of play, including a nice glove save that kept the Mavs off the board. 

Second Period
• Omaha wouldn't take long to get one back to start the second period, scoring 32 seconds into the frame to cut the NU lead in half. 
• The score would remain 2-1 as the period reached midway. Niagara had taken five shots at the halfway point. 
• Johnny Wescoe nearly got Niagara's two-goal lead back, but Jake Kucharski, the Mavericks netminder, suffocated his shot. 
• Moments later, sophomore Jay Ahearn picked off a pace in the slot and deposited it in the back of the net to give Niagara a 3-1 lead. 
• Niagara's first power play of the season would come on a tripping call with just under six and a half minutes remaining in the period. 
• The Purple Eagle lead would grow to a 4-1 lead with a power play goal from Ryan Cox, assisted by Carreau and Albin Nilsson. 
• Omaha would cut the Purple and White lead in half, 4-2, with just under four minutes remaining in the period. 

Third Period
• Veltri made his 22nd save of the game 1:32 into the third period. 
• Omaha made it a 4-3 game with a power play goal. The Mavs took just six seconds on their power play to score their third goal of the contest. 
• The Purple Eagles would take another penalty moments later, but this time the Purple and White killed the Omaha power play to keep the game 4-3 in Niagara's favor. 
• From the pair of Omaha power plays to three minutes remaining, the Purple Eagles took four shots, compared to nine for the Mavs, four of which were stopped by Veltri. 
• The Niagara defense and Veltri would stay strong in the contest's final minutes to hold on for the win. 

Niagara Notes
• The Purple Eagles are now 4-3-1 all-time against Omaha. 
• Gauthier's goal in the first period was the second of his Purple Eagle career, while Carreau's tally was his first as a Purple Eagle. 
• Cox found the back of the net for the 22nd time in his career. 
• Veltri was credited with an assist for the second time in his career. The first came back on Feb. 11, 2022, against Canisius.
• Niagara's four goals are the most in a season opener since the 2018-19 season when it scored four in an OT win over AIC to start the season. 
• Niagara blocked 26 shots in the contest, led by Lucas Bahn, who blocked six for the Purple Eagles. 
• Ahearn took a team-high seven shots, with five going on goal in his collegiate debut. 
• Niagara has to go back to the start of the 2009-10 season for its last four-goal performance in regulation to start the season, a 4-4 tie against Colgate.  
• Nilsson and Cox led NU with nine face-off wins apiece. 
• Mysak led NU skaters with a plus/minus of +3. 

Up Next
• The two teams will be back in action tomorrow at 8 p.m. from Baxter Arena. 
 
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