NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara Purple Eagles is ranked No. 17 in the latest USCHO.com Division I poll released on Monday afternoon.
The Purple Eagle garnered 183 points to remain in the poll for the program-best ninth consecutive week. The USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine College Hockey Poll has the Purps receiving 17 votes, while the NCAA Tournament PairWise Comparison Ratings has NU tied for 17th with Alaska.
Niagara currently holds a 14-4-4 overall record, and 13-1-1 mark in Atlantic Hockey play to keep hold of the top spot in the conference with 27 points, nine points ahead of second-place Mercyhurst. In 15 conference games, NU has outscored its opposition 53-22—second in the nation for the fewest goals allowed during league play this season. The Purps, whose .727 team winning percentage is third in the country, hold the second best conference record in NCAA Division I hockey, as Quinnipiac sits at the top with an 11-0-1 mark in the ECAC conference.
For the third consecutive time since the 2009-10 season the Purps split with the Holy Cross Crusaders in their weekend series on Jan. 18 and Jan. 19. Niagara dropped its first conference game of the year, 5-3, on Friday, but bounced back with a solid 4-1 victory to wrap up the two-game battle.
Niagara returns to action on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 25-26, when they travel to Rochester, N.Y. to take on the RIT Tigers at Ritter Arena before returning to Monteagle Ridge the following day to finish the home-and-home series. Both contests are scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m.
Tickets are limited for Saturday’s contest! Please call Niagara Ticket Office (located inside Dwyer Arena) at 716-286-TIXX, visit www.PurpleEagles.com/Tickets or by emailing [email protected].
