Niagara University, N.Y. — Niagara scored three times on its first 32 shots, but Holy Cross answered with four straight goals in the third period Friday night to beat the Purple Eagles 5-3 at Dwyer Arena
The Purple Eagles fell to 5-5-1,1-2-0 AHA, while the Crusaders improved to 5-8-0, 3-4-0 AHA.
First period
Holy Cross scored first on a penalty shot. Boden Sampair beat Niagara goalie Charles-Edward Gravel at 4:50, shortly after Nathan Oickle was called for slashing, to make it 1-0. Sampair's goal was Holy Cross's only one of the period on seven shots.
The Purple Eagles managed five shots on goal in the period. Theo Lemieux had three tries between 8:49 and 10:48, one saved and two blocked. Jacob Maillet hit the post at 11:49.
Niagara got its break when Biakabutuka was sent off for tripping at 15:20. On that power play, Maillet scored at 15:55, 35 seconds in, with assists from Oickle and Mitchell Young, to tie it 1-1.
Holy Cross goalie Danick Leroux faced 20 attempts in the period but only five on goal. Gravel stopped six of seven.
Second period
Niagara took over, outshooting the Crusaders 20-7 in the period, and Gravel stopped all seven shots he faced.
The Purple Eagles got an early power play when Anthony Carone was called for interference at 4:17, but they could not convert. Gravel kept the game close at the other end. Brody Gagno hit the post at 7:41, and Jack Richard blocked a Sampair shot at 8:19. Late in the period Niagara pushed harder, with Maxim Muranov and Ryan Humphrey each putting pucks on net.
Connor Welsh was called for holding at 15:17, and Niagara cashed in again. Mitchell Young scored at 15:55 with assists from Oickle and Richard, making it 2-1.
Seventy-two seconds later, Spencer Young made it 3-1 at 17:07. He scored at even strength with an assist from Wallace.
Niagara kept throwing shots at Leroux through the end of the period, including four shots in the final 24 seconds, but nothing else got through. Leroux finished the period with 18 saves.
Third period
Eyre scored at 5:40 with assists from Gagno and Owen Kim to cut it to 3-2. Welsh then tied it at 7:23, with assists from Gagno and Quinn McCall.
William Elias gave Holy Cross the lead at 13:04, with assists from Welsh and Preston Lounsbury. It was the game-winner. Niagara had only seven shots in the period, and Leroux saved all of them. That included late chances from Mitchell Young, Hackett and Ross Roloson as the Purple Eagles chased the equalizer.
Niagara called a timeout at 18:29 and pulled Gravel for an extra attacker. Biakabutuka sealed it with an unassisted empty-net goal at 19:44.
Niagara Notes
Niagara is now 14-25-5 all-time against Holy Cross
Oickle tied a career-high with two assists
Mitch Young tallied his first collegiate multi-point game
The Purple Eagles won the face-off battle 37-32
Up Next
Niagara closes out the weekend with Holy Cross Saturday November 14 at 6:00 pm inside Dwyer Arena.
