Niagara University, N.Y.—The Niagara hockey team earned a point in a 4-4 tie tonight against AIC to close out a four point weekend for the Purple Eagles.
First Period
Just like the series opener on Friday neither team generated a goal in the first period, Niagara held an 11-4 shot advantage after 20 minutes.
Niagara killed off an early AIC power play while allowing just one shot on the man advantage.
Second Period
The Yellow Jackets got on the board just 14 seconds into the second period to take a 1-0 lead.
Just ahead of the midway mark of the period Niagara tied the game at one while on the power play. Jack Richard had the puck at the point and found Lars Rodne on the half wall. Rodne passed the puck to Johnny Wescoe in the high slot for a one-timer. Wescoe fanned on the shot but got enough on it get to Glebs Prohorenkovs on the backdoor. Prohorenkovs scored his fifth goal of the season as the game was tied at one. Rodne picked up his seventh assist of the season while it was Wescoe's first.
AIC took the lead back at the 11:52 mark of the period.
Niagara once again responded to tie the game at two at the 16:18 mark of the period. The line of Wescoe, Carter Randklev, and Tyler Wallace sustained pressure in the AIC zone. Randklev had the puck in the corner and fired a pass up the boards to Alex Murray. Murray, who returned to the lineup after missing 11 games fired the puck towards the net. Wallace was camped in front and redirected home his eighth of the season. Murray picked up his 11th assist of the season while Randklev took the team lead with his 13th assist.
The two teams were tied after 40 minutes as Niagara held a 17-16 shot advantage.
Niagara went 14-9 in the faceoff circle in the second period.
Third Period
8:54 into the third period, AIC took their lead back.
Niagara once again responded just over three minutes later while on the power play. Jonathan Ziske quarterbacked the power play and passed the puck to Jack Richard who fired a quick pass to Rodne on the left wall. While Rodne walked down the wall Prohorenkovs snuck to the far post behind an AIC defenseman. Rodne rifled a perfect pass to his stick and Prohorenkovs had his sixth goal of the season. Rodne picked up his eighth assist while Richard got his fifth.
AIC once again took the lead back at the 14:43 mark of the third period.
Niagara got back on the power play at the 15:21 mark. At the 16:46 mark while still on the power play, the trio of Prohorenkovs, Rodne, and Richard struck again. Richard took a pass from Rodne at the top of the left circle and held the puck to draw and AIC defensemen. Richard then passed the puck to Prohorenkovs in the high slot. Prohorenkovs fired a one touch pass to Rodne who cut to the net, Rodne rifled a shot into the top corner of the net to tie the game at four. Rodne picked up his seventh of the year while Prohorenkovs got his seventh assist, it was Richard's sixth.
Neither team scored the rest of the period and the game went to overtime.
Overtime
In overtime both teams traded possessions and scoring chances. Niagara had six shots in overtime while AIC had five. Neither team found the back of the net and the game officially ended as tie.
The teams went to a shootout to determine who earned the extra conference point.
Shootout
Both teams saw their first three shooters be stopped. In the top of the fourth round Randklev was robbed as AIC had a chance to earn the extra point in the bottom of the fourth. AIC scored and took the extra point as they found the back of the net.
Niagara Notes
· Niagara took four points on the weekend while earning six points on the week after defeating Canisius on Tuesday in overtime.
· Prorhorenkovs, Richard, and Rodne all had multi-point nights while seven Purple Eagles had points.
· Jarrett Fiske made 28 saves in the tie while Niagara generated 31 shots in the game.
· Niagara went 3-6 on the power play with six shots. It is the first time Niagara has scored three power play goals since Mar. 5, 2023 against Sacred Heart. Niagara scored three power play goals in a game twice last season.
· Randklev skated in his 100th career game and tallied an assist. He now leads the team with 20 points and has a team-high 13 assists.
· Niagara is now 15-20-5 all-time against AIC.
· Rodne notched his fourth multi-point game of the season and the eighth of his career. It is his first three point game of his career. He is also on a seven game points streak which is the longest of any Purple Eagle this season. He has 10 points over the seven games.
· Prohorenkovs notched his second straight multi point game. He had a goal and assist on Friday, it is his second multi-point game of the season and the sixth of his career. It is his second three point game of his career.
· Richard had a pair of assists, it is his third multi-point game of his freshman season.
· Niagara is now 12-14-3 overall and 10-8-3 in Atlantic Hockey play with 32 points.
Up Next
Niagara hosts Army in a two game series at Dwyer Arena starting on Friday with faceoff scheduled for 7 PM. Niagara and Army close the series on Saturday at 5 PM. Friday night will be a Resident Hall Challenge Night for all Niagara students while Saturday is Country Music Night at Niagara.
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