Worcester, MA—The Niagara hockey team made the trip to Holy Cross to open its final weekend road trip of the regular season. In the first game of the weekend, the Purple Eagles overcame an early deficit but fell 4-3 in overtime.
Game Recap
First Period

• Holy Cross jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the game as they scored at the 2:07 and the 9:22 marks of the period. Both goals came off faceoffs following Niagara icings.
• The Purple Eagles bounced back and cut the lead in half at the 15:08 mark. The puck was behind the Holy Cross net and Shane Ott stole the puck on the forecheck. The puck ended up on the side of the net, Ryan Cox fished it off the net and took a quick shot that went short side on the Holy Cross goalie.
• In the first period, Niagara out shot Holy Cross 10-9 while also having a 12-10 advantage in the faceoff circle.
• Jason Pineo went 5-1 in the faceoff circle while Cox also won four draws.

Second Period

• Niagara earned a five minute power play at the 7:27 mark of the second period and the Purple Eagles went to work.  Just 13 seconds into the power play Lucas Bahn took a slapshot from the point. The puck deflected off a Holy Cross player into the net for Bahn's first goal as a Purple Eagle. Jay Ahearn notched an assist in his first game since Dec. 30. David Posma picked up his fifth assist of the season.
• Just as the Purple Eagle power play ended, the Crusaders scored to make it 3-2.
• Neither team found the back of the net in the rest of the period. After 40 minutes shots were tied at 16.
• The Purple Eagles won 10 of 14 faceoffs in the second period.

Third Period

• The third period was full of neutral zone play as the teams combined for just nine shots. Niagara had five shots while limiting Holy Cross to four.
• At the 15:37 mark of the period, Holy Cross took another five minute major. Just over a minute later, Holy Cross took a tripping penalty at the 16:43 mark.
• At the 17:02 mark with a five on three power play, Ryan Naumovski scored his seventh goal of the season. Carter Randklev and Casey Carreau notched assists on the game tying goal.
• The game went to overtime and Niagara opened the period on the power play.

Overtime

• Niagara could not convert on the 23 second power play to start the overtime session.
• Holy Cross took the lone shot in the overtime session and ended the game at the 2:52 mark.
• The Purple Eagles picked up one point despite the overtime loss.

Niagara Notes

• Niagara has scored a power play goal in each of the last five games. In those five games they have lit the lamp six times on the man advantage.
• The Purple Eagles won 31 of 53 faceoffs in the game while Pineo went 11-5, Cox went 10-6 in the circle.
• Naumovski has tallied a point in seven of his last nine games, in those games he has three goals and seven assists.
• Chad Veltri made 17 saves in the game.
• Niagara forward Jack Deboer played against his brother Matt Deboer for the first time in his college career.
• Pineo played in his 99^th career game on Thursday and will become the fifth current Purple Eagle to play in 100 collegiate games in his next game.
• The Purple Eagles have now recorded at least a point in five straight games. Niagara has 34 points this season and is tied with Holy Cross in fourth.

Up Next

• The Purple Eagles finish the road series with Holy Cross on Friday at 7 PM.