Bowling Green, Ohio — Charles-Edward Gravel stopped 36 of 37 shots, and Brayden Boehm scored the game-winning goal in the third period as Niagara beat Bowling Green 2-1 on Saturday.
The Purple Eagles improved to 3-3-0, while the Falcons fell to 2-4-0.
First Period
Bowling Green struck early. Sloan scored at 1:56, finishing a chance set up by Tyler Hotson and Breck McKinley to put the Falcons up 1-0.
Gravel stopped 12 of 13 shots in the period. At the other end, Niagara put nine shots on goal, Three of those came in 36 seconds, from Marshall Finnie at 4:31, Mitch Young at 4:43 and Jack Rosensteel at 5:07, but Bowling Green goalie Jacob Steinman stopped them all.
Niagara's best push came late. From 14:10 on, the Purple Eagles attempted eight shots, four of them on goal, with Dante Josefsson-Westling, Boehm, Jacob Maillet and Noah Hackett all testing Steinman, but could not sneak one past trailing 1-0.
Second Period
Bowling Green outshot Niagara 16-6 in the middle period. Peteris Bulans hit the pipe at 2:34, and Gravel stopped all 16 shots he faced.
Niagara's offense came in bursts. After Hackett's two attempts early, the Purple Eagles went more than seven minutes without a shot attempt. They killed an interference penalty at 6:11, then generated six attempts in about two minutes starting at 8:24. Josh Van Mulligen, Maillet and Hunter Wallace were among those involved, and three of the six were on goal, including two from Young.
That pressure led to the tying goal at 13:00. Dallon Melin scored at even strength, with assists from Young and Maillet.
Gravel turned away late shots from Noah Morneau, Evan Bushy and Brandon Whynott to keep it tied.
Third Period
Niagara opened the third with its most sustained pressure of the night. Van Mulligen, Wallace, Hackett and Spencer Young combined for four attempts in the first 2:07, three of them on goal.
Niagara went to its first power play when Ty Cheveldayoff was called for tripping at 4:43. The Purple Eagles produced four attempts but only one shot on goal, a Wallace shot at 6:10.
At 7:14, Boehm blocked a shot by Bowling Green's Bushy. Four seconds later, at 7:18, he scored unassisted at even strength for what proved to be the game-winner.
Niagara then had to hold the lead through a long stretch of penalty killing, but the PK and Gravel held strong to keep it at a 2-1 game.
Bowling Green pulled Steinman for an extra attacker at 18:02 and called a timeout. Niagara called its own timeout at 19:36, and Hackett blocked a late Jeremie Minville shot to help seal it.
Niagara Notes
Niagara is now 6-3-2 all-time against Bowling Green
The Purple Eagles are on a four-game winning streak against the Falcons
Boehm tallied his first goal as a Purple Eagle
Melin found the back of the net for the first time this season
Gravel made a season-high 36 saves
Up Next
Niagara returns back to Dwyer Arena for their first home non-conference games of the season, taking on Union Friday October 23 at 7:00 pm.
