Worchester, Mass.—The Niagara hockey team earned two points with a 3-2 overtime win over Holy Cross to open the weekend series against the Crusaders.

First Period

The first period was a back and forth period with both teams having opportunities throughout the period.

With 36 seconds left in the opening period Holy Cross opened the scoring to take a 1-0 lead.

Niagara generated six shots on goal while Holy Cross had nine shots in the period.

Neither team had a power play in the opening period while faceoffs were 11-10 in favor of Holy Cross.

Second Period

Niagara evened the score at the 11:15 mark of the middle frame. After a big hit by Jack Richard in the Holy Cross zone, Ethan Lund picked up the puck in the Niagara zone. He made a stretch pass to Richard who entered the zone with the puck. Richard had the puck knocked off his stick and it was picked up by Aron Jessli. Richard continued to the net and Jessli found him, Richard went to his backhand and finished for his second goal of the season.

Holy Cross had just killed off a penalty at the 16:05 mark of second period. As the player came out of the penalty box he was hit with a pass for a breakaway. He scored on the breakaway to give Holy Cross a 2-1 lead late in the second period.

Niagara had a 10-9 shot advantage in the second period despite trailing heading into the third period.

Third Period

At the 2:32 mark of the third period, Niagara had control in the Holy Cross zone. Carter Randklev picked up a drop pass from Alex Murray who pinched on the play. Randklev had the puck at the right point and fired the puck towards the net. Glebs Prohorenkovs and Olivier Gauthier screened the goalie as the puck beat the Holy Cross goalie to tie the game at two. Randklev picked up his fifth goal of the season. Murray picked up his ninth assist of the season while Noah Carlin picked up his third assist of the season.  

Niagara and Holy Cross both had six shots in the period but neither could take a late lead in regulation.

After three periods Holy Cross had a 24-22 advantage in shots.

Overtime

The Purple Eagles opened the overtime session with a faceoff win as they controlled play. On their first possession, Shane Ott had a shot that stopped by the Holy Cross netminder. Niagara then won the second faceoff of overtime and once again controlled play. 1:47 into overtime Jay Ahearn was stopped but the Purple Eagles collected the rebound and went back to work in the 3v3 session.

At the 2:05 mark of the session, Ahearn carried the puck into the zone and went behind the net. Ahearn then cut to the front of the net, Carlin was tied up in front but the puck found Tyler Wallace in front of the net. Wallace chipped home a backhander for the game winning goal.

For Wallace it was his fourth goal of the season while Ahearn picked up his sixth assist and Carlin earned his fourth assist of the season.

Niagara won both faceoffs in overtime and outshot Holy Cross 4-0 in overtime.

Niagara Notes

·       Jarrett Fiske made 22 saves in net for Niagara and picked up his fifth win of the season. This season he has a 2.56 goals against average and a .903 save percentage.

·       For Wallace, the overtime winner was his second game winning goal of the season. Since scoring his first career goal on Nov. 17 against Robert Morris he has four goals along with two assists in five games.

·       It is Niagara's second overtime win of the season with the other being on Oct. 27 against Sacred Heart. Ahearn scored the winning goal in that game. Niagara is 2-1-1 in overtime games this season.

·       Freshman accounted for two goals and an assist in the game as Richard and Wallace had a goal with Jessli having an assist.

·       It is Niagara's first win on the road at Holy Cross since Dec. 3, 2021.

·       It is just the second time that Niagara has defeated Holy Cross in overtime and the first time since Oct. 13, 2006 when Niagara won 5-4 at Dwyer Arena after trailing by three goals.

·       Prohorenkovs won a game high 11 faceoffs as he won 68.8% of his faceoffs. Wallace won 53.3% of his faceoffs.

·       Niagara blocked eight shots with Lund blocking a team high two shots.

·       The Purple Eagles killed off their lone penalty kill of the night.

·       12 of Niagara's 26 shots came from a high scoring area in front of the net between the faceoff dots.

·       Niagara now has 16 points in AHA play and sit in third place in Atlantic Hockey.

Up Next

Niagara and Holy Cross close out the weekend series on Saturday with faceoff scheduled for 4 PM at Hart Center Rink.