Potsdam, N.Y. — Niagara scored three goals in 2 minutes, 7 seconds of the first period, and goaltender Charles-Edward Gravel made 32 saves Saturday as the Purple Eagles beat Clarkson 6-2 in a nonconference game.
The Purple Eagles improved to 5-4-1, while the Golden Knights fell to 3-4-1.
First period
Niagara took control early, outshooting Clarkson 9-6 and winning 13 of the period's 17 faceoffs. The first 11 minutes were scoreless, with both teams' shots getting blocked or missing the net.
Theo Lemieux then gave Niagara a 1-0 lead at 11:48 with the game's first goal, assisted by Davis Codd and Durocher.
Adam Gionta made it 2-0 at 12:48, exactly one minute later, with assists from Ross Roloson and Spencer Young.
Maillet scored his first goal of the season at 13:55, with Melin and Roberto Mancini assisting, and that proved to be the game-winner.
Niagara's lead was tested briefly when the Purple Eagles went to the box for hooking at 15:28. Gravel stopped the one shot Clarkson put on net during the power play, from Michael Craig.
Second period
Clarkson replaced Gaudreau with Shane Soderwall and came out firing, putting four shots on goal in the first 1:46 alone. Gravel stopped them all, and the Golden Knights finished the period with 20 shots on goal to Niagara's five.
Niagara still found the net. Mitch Young scored at 5:30 to make it 4-0, with assists from Richard and Maillet.
Clarkson got a five-minute power play with a chance to get back in the game. Gravel stopped all four shots on goal from Bryce Sookro, Tate Taylor, Ty Brassington and Gelinas, and Niagara killed the penalty. Josh Van Mulligen even got a shorthanded shot on Soderwall during the stretch.
Gravel's shutout bid ended with 1:14 left in the period, when Sebastien Gervais scored his first goal of the season off an assist from Hayden Reid to cut the lead to 4-1. Gravel made 19 saves in the period.
Third period
Niagara got its only power play of the game when Clarkson's Mael St-denis was penalized for slashing at 1:25, and the Purple Eagles could not convert. The power play expired at 3:25, and 18 seconds later Durocher scored his first goal of the season, assisted by Ryan Humphrey and Nathan Oickle, for a 5-1 lead.
Melin put the game away at 15:05. Richard's shot hit the post at 15:03, and two seconds later Melin scored, with Richard and Lemieux assisting, to make it 6-1.
Cote scored for Clarkson at 16:45 to make it 6-2, with Tyler Wallace and Zack Sandhu assisting. Gravel saved seven of eight shots in the period.
Niagara Notes
Niagara is now 6-12-3 all-time against Clarkson
This was the Purple Eagles first win against the Golden Knights since 12/8/20
This was Niagara's first win against Clarkson on the road since 10/26/12
Lemieux and Melin tallied their first collegiate multi-point games
Richard and Maillet both recorded their third multi-point games of the season
Oickle tallied an assist in since season debut
13 different Purple Eagles recorded a point
Up Next
Niagara returns home and to conference play facing off against Holy Cross Friday November 13 at 7:00 pm inside Dwyer Arena.
