Niagara University, N.Y. — Jack Richard scored unassisted 1:04 into overtime Saturday night, and Niagara beat Union 5-4 inside Dwyer Arena.
The Purple Eagles improved to 4-4, while the Garnet Chargers fell to 3-2.
FIRST PERIOD
Niagara outshot Union 11-8 in the opening 20 minutes and took a 2-0 lead.
The Purple Eagles pressed early, putting up several shots in a row before Mitchell Young broke through at 7:29. Young scored at even strength off assists from Ross Roloson and Jacob Maillet for his second goal of the season.
The Purple Eagles got shots from Noah Hackett and others but couldn't cash in. Anderson, meanwhile, turned aside all eight shots he faced, including two on a Union power play.
Ryan Humphrey made it 2-0 with 36 seconds left in the period. He scored at even strength, with Hunter Wallace assisting, for his first goal of the season.
SECOND PERIOD
Niagara scored twice in 26 seconds to take a 4-1 lead, though Union ended the period with momentum.
Luke Buss cut the margin to 2-1 for Union at 8:39. Niagara answered at 11:03, when Wallace scored his third of the season off a Roberto Mancini assist.
Dallon Melin followed at 11:29, finishing a play set up by Maillet and Richard for his second goal.
Niagara had a chance to extend the lead when Rose was sent off for interference at 13:29. The Purple Eagles put five shots on net during the power play, with Hackett taking three of them, but Union goalie Brayden Gillespie stopped them all.
Union got on the board again at 16:25. Riley Brueck scored on the power play. Niagara led 4-2 after two periods, despite being outshot 14-13 in the period.
THIRD PERIOD
Connor Smith scored on the 5-on-3 at 7:00 to make it 4-3. Luke Garry tied it at 8:03 with the second penalty still running, finishing a power-play goal assisted by Tommy Cronin.
Anderson then held the game level. He made 11 saves in the period, including a stretch of three stops in a four-minute span around the midway point. Niagara's only shots came from Young, Andy Reist and Maillet, and none beat Gillespie.
OVERTIME
Niagara needed just 64 seconds in the extra period. Richard missed wide at 0:35, then scored 29 seconds later in the 4-on-4 session, for his only point of the night to go with an assist. It was Niagara's lone shot of overtime.
Niagara Notes
Niagara is now 1-12-1 all-time against Union
This was Richard's second game-winning goal of the season
Humphrey tallied his first collegiate goal
Wallace notched his second multi-point game of the season
The Purple Eagles won the face-off battle 44-37
Up Next
Niagara heads to Potsdam, NY to take on Clarkson Friday October 30 at 7:00 pm.
