NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – Sophomore Hugo Turcotte registered his first career hat trick, while five other Purple Eagles pocketed a multiple point evening in Niagara hockey’s 8-3 thumping over Army Saturday in front of a sellout crowd at Dwyer Arena.
Turcotte scored three goals and added an assist in the victory, while the Niagara blueliners put up seven points for the Purple and White, including the first four goals to push the Purps to 3-1-1 in Atlantic Hockey play, and 3-6-1 overall.
“The showing by our defense helped quadruple our production on the year from our blueline,” head coach Dave Burkholder said. “It’s a big part of the game when you can get puck through from the point and I thought our guys did a good job of stacking the crease and making it tough on their goalie. We got four in a row from a defense which is huge.”
Freshman Vincent Muto scored a pair of goals and added an assist, co-captain Ryan Rashid contributed two assists and a goal, while Isaac Kohls added a trio of helpers. This was the first time since the 2005-06 season the Purple Eagles have scored eight goals, the last time coming on Nov. 12, 2005 when NU shutout Alabama-Hunstville, 8-4.
“Turcotte and Divjak were electric this weekend,” added Burkholder. “They’re our go to guys so to have them punch the clock and go as hard as they did, it’s nice to see them get rewarded like that. In league play you need your best guys to step up and they certainly did that. Muto played a terrific game for a freshman and contributed like that offensively is a big step for him as a newcomer. He is a strong kid that has earned his ice time.”
Niagara netminder Adrian Ignagni pushed asked 16 Black Knight shots to push his record to 2-3-1.
The Black Knights (1-8-0; 1-5-0 AHA) would score the game’s first goal to send the Purple Eagles into the first intermission down, 1-0. Luke Jenkins wristed a shot from the top of the faceoff circle that C.J. Reuschlein tipped in underneath the pads of Ignagni for his fourth goal on the season.
The Purple Eagles’ scoring outburst began in the second frame as Niagara put away five tallies to make it 5-3 heading into the final period. Muto got the scoring started 1:50 into the period after his slap shot from the point off a Mike Conderman faceoff win beat Tadazak to tie the game at one apiece. It was the rookie’s first college goal.
Niagara followed that up with a pair of goals in a 56 second span that gave the Purple Eagles their first lead of the game that they would not relinquish. Kevin Albers scored his first of the season, picking up a blocked Matt Dineen shot and one-timing it home at 4:01, while Muto notched his second of the game after launching a shot from the slot that whipped past the Army goaltender top shelf.
The lead was extended to three goals with 8:49 remaining in the period as Kevin Ryan secured his 50th point as a Purple Eagle off his second goal of the season. The senior wristed a laser over the shoulder of Tadazek that hit the crossbar before bouncing into the cage to put Niagara up 4-1.
Turcotte and Rashid combined for the Purp’s fifth and final score the period at 14:56. Rashid dished a backhand to Turcotte who walked in on Tadazek, hesitating with the shot before finding an opening for his second tally of the season.
Army would end the frame with a pair of scores to slice Niagara’s lead to two goals as Andrew O’Leary and Clint Carlisle scored within 33 seconds of each other to make it 5-3 heading into the third period.
Ignagni kept Army from making it a one-goal game five minutes into the third as Mac Lalor raced in on a breakaway and attempted a low wrister, but the shot was swallowed by the freshman goaltender.
The Purple Eagles would add three more goals to finish off the Black Knights as Turcotte netted two and Rashid registered a goal to wrap up the evening.
Niagara will make the drive to Erie, Pa. to face Mercyhurst Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. The game against the Lakers will mark the beginning of the Purple Eagles’ eight game road swing.
