Lewiston N.Y.
Ryan Gates
The Niagara Purple Eagles’ Men’s hockey team hosted the Canisius Golden Griffiths in the first matchup between the Atlantic Hockey League rivals this season. The teams battled throughout the game to a 1-1 tie.
The first period proved that special teams would play a big part in each teams performance. A total of 5 penalties were taken by the teams and both goals in the period were influenced by special teams. Canisius’ Dan Jessey would begin his personal march to the sin bin taking the first penalty of the game only a minute and 14 seconds into the first stanza. However, Canisius would be the team to benefit from the man disadvantage. Matthew Grazen blocked a slap shot from the point which sent him and teammate Torrey Lindsay on a 2 on 1 break. Lindsay would bury his shot blocker side on Niagara goaltender, Cody Campbell to give Canisius the 1-0 lead. It was the second shorthanded goal of Lindsay’s season, and his third total. The teams continued to cancel each other out even strength until Dan Jessey took his second penalty of ther game to give the Purple Eagles their second oppurtunity with the powerplay. Niagara would tie the game just three minutes later as Ryan Rashid’s shot from the halfwall was tipped past Dan Morrison by Giancarlo Iuorio. The teams would play the rest of the period scoreless as they entered the lockerroom tied at 1 a piece.
The second period was incredibly similar to the first. Both teams combined for a total of 5 penalties (3 for Canisius, 2 for Niagara). However neither team managed to find the twine in the period. Going into the final period the teams were tied 1-1. Niagara outshot Canisius 13-10 in the second for a two period total of 23 for for Niagara and 16 for Canisius.
In the third and final period each teams exchanged chances. Canisius had a 5-3 two man advantage for 50 seconds halfway through the final frame. However, the abysmal showing for Canisius on the powerplay continued. Coming into the game Canisius was operating at 7.4% among the worst in Divison 1 hockey. The team did not help themselves squandering away 5 powerplay oppurtunities. After an entertaining period, Niagara and Canisius held each other scoreless and we on their way to a 5 minute sudden death overtime period.
It was the first time that the two teams faced each other in overtime since Niagara won 6-5 last November at Canisius. The teams traded chances, and Niagara nearly won the game in the final 30 seconds of the game but failed to convert a plethora of chances to finish the matchup. The game ended in a 1-1 tie. It is only the second time in series history that Canisius and Niagara tied, the other coming in 2004. The goalies for each team proved to be the stars of the game allowing only 1 goal a piece. Cody Campbell made 21 saves for the Purple Eagles, and Dan Morrison was huge for the Golden Griffiths making 32 saves, and keeping his team in the game. Both teams go back to action this weekend. Canisius hosts 12th ranked Lake Superior State, and Niagara travels to face #18 Cornell.
