Niagara University, N.Y.—The Niagara Hockey team opened their 2023 with an exhibition win over the University of Toronto at Dwyer Arena on Monday afternoon.
Game Recap
First Period

• The Purple Eagles and Varsity Blues came out firing in the first period as shots were 10-8 Niagara after the opening 20 minutes. Both goalies stopped everything that was thrown at them and it was 0-0 after the first.
• Lars Rodne led the Purple Eagles with three shots in the frame as they Purple Eagles also blocked four shots.
• Both teams failed to convert on the power play as the Purple Eagles tallied three shots on two attempts. Toronto had three shots on their lone man advantage.

Second Period

• After having three shots in the opening period, Rodne cut to the middle of the ice and went bar down on the Toronto goalie to open the scoring. Drew Vieten and Ethan Lund tallied assists on the play.
• Just over two minutes later at the 18:43 mark of the period, the Varsity Blues tied the game at one on the power play.
• After the second period, shots were 22-17 in favor of the Varsity Blues while the Purple Eagles blocked seven shots.

Third Period

• In the third period, the Purple Eagles took the lead just 2:16 into the frame as Olivier Gauthier tipped in a point shot from Max Ruoho. At the start of a power play Glebs Prohorenkovs won the faceoff back to Ruoho fired one at the net. Gauthier tipped in the shot and Niagara held a 2-1 lead.
• Niagara wasn't done in the frame as Lane Brockhoff got on the scoresheet with a shot from the point. Ryan Naumovski took the puck up the right side and fed it to the slot, after a deflection from Gauthier, Brockoff finished the play to make it 3-1.
• Niagara held on in the third and outshot Toronto 14-9 in the frame.

Niagara Notes

• Ryan Ouellette made the start in net for Niagara and turned away 30 of 31 shots for the Purple Eagles.
• The Purple Eagles went 1-4 on the power play with four shots while killing off 5-6 Toronto power plays.
• In total Niagara blocked 14 shots with Christan Gorscak blocking a game high three shots.
• Niagara won 31 of 59 faceoffs with Prohorenkovs having a team best 13-9 record in the faceoff dot.

Up Next

• Niagara returns to regular season action this week as the host St. Lawrence on Thursday before closing out non-conference play at St. Lawrence on Saturday.