USAF Academy, CO—The Niagara hockey team looked to earn a weekend split with Air Force after falling on Friday night. In the second game of the weekend, the Purple Eagles came away with a 2-1 win to earn the split.
Game Recap
First Period

• Just like the opening game of the weekend neither team found the back of the net in the first period.
• Niagara had the 11-8 shot advantage in the first period, Chad Veltri made the start in net and turned away all eight shots he saw in the opening 20 minutes.

Second Period

• It seemed the second period was going to be scoreless as well until the 14:38 mark of the period. With an offensive zone faceoff, Christian Gorscak won a faceoff back to Josef Mysak. Mysak walked to the center of the ice and made a deke and beat his defender to the slot. Mysak took a wicked wrister from the high slot to give Niagara a 1-0 lead. It was his first goal of the season while it was Gorscak's fourth assist of the year.
• Neither team found the back of the net for the rest of the period. Air Force edged out the Purple Eagles in shots 13-12 in the frame but Niagara still held a 23-21 lead.
• After struggling in the first period in the faceoff circle, the Purple Eagles won 13 draws in the second period.
• Niagara also killed off their lone penalty in the second period.

Third Period

• The Falcons turned up in the pressure in the third period and finally beat Veltri at the 15:21 mark of the third period.
• After both teams put pressure on each other, the game looked destined for overtime while shots were in favor of Air Force, 9-7 in third period.
• The Purple Eagles had a different plan. With less than 13 seconds left, Jason Pineo won a faceoff back to Noah Carlin. Carlin walked to the middle of the point and found Olivier Gauthier in the right circle. Gauthier wound up and took a one-timer and beat the goalie over his left shoulder. It was Gauthier's seventh goal of the season, Carlin's fifth assist, and Pineo's seventh assist.
• The goal was scored with 6.3 seconds left on the clock and following an Air Force timeout, the Purple Eagles ran out the clock.

Niagara Notes

• Niagara outshot Air Force 31-30 in the game, the Purple Eagles are 7-3-0 this season when they outshoot opponents.
• The Purple Eagles led 1-0 after the second period, this season they are now 10-1-1 this season when leading after 40 minutes.
• It is the second time this season and in the last 22 days in which the Purple Eagles scored a game winning goal in the last 20 seconds of a game. Albin Nilsson scored with just over 19 seconds left in the third period against Miami (OH) on Dec. 31, 2022.
• This is the ninth game this season in which it was a one goal game, Niagara is 7-1-0 in one goal games this season.  
• The Purple Eagles have now won eight road games this season, the last time Niagara won eight road games in a season was the 2012-13 season in which they went 8-8-3. The Purple Eagles finished the season against North Dakota in the NCAA Tournament that season.
• Veltri leads Atlantic Hockey is saves this season with 575. He is averaging 27.38 saves per game, he is also leading the AHA in minutes played with 1222:46.

Up Next

• Niagara travels to HarborCenter to take on Canisius on Friday and Saturday night. Both games are scheduled for 7 PM against the Golden Griffins.