NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – Niagara hockey received goals from three different players and Adrian Ignagni pushed aside 29 shots on its way to a 3-0 Atlantic Hockey Association win over RIT Tigers on Friday evening at Dywer Arena on CBS Sports Network.
Special teams was the difference for Niagara (6-14-3; 6-7-3 AHA) as the Purple Eagles notched a power play goal and shorthanded tally, while not allowing the fourth best power play unit in the nation to score on four of its opportunities.
Ignagni was a brick wall in between the pipes, pushing aside all 29 RIT looks on net for his first shutout of his career to keep their Western New York foe winless at Dwyer (9-0-4).
“Last weekend we played six pretty good periods and had nothing to show for it. I’m proud how we came back tonight and were thorough in all areas,” head coach Dave Burkholder said. “We had a power play goal, a shorthanded goal and a 5-on-5 goal, plus a shutout victory so we did it all. It was a collective team effort and that is how we have to play every night. There was a lot of good to our game tonight.”
“Ignagni is such a competitive player. He made a couple key saves for us. He didn’t make which helped us get our legs under us
Niagara wasted no time in testing RIT starting goaltender Jordan Ruby as Isaac Kohls saw his shot ring off the crossbar just 55 seconds into the game. His next attempt on net, however found the back of the net at the Purple Eagles pushed ahead of RIT (8-12-3; 7-8-1 AHA) at 14:10 of the first period. The junior ripped a shot at the top of the faceoff circle that went untouched through traffic and beat Ruby stick side.
TJ Sarcona’s sixth goal of the season came while a man down, giving Niagara a two-goal cushion a little over three minutes into the second frame. Sarcona intercepted a pass across the slot in the defensive zone and fought off a couple RIT players as he raced up the neutral zone, going forehand to backhand before wrapping the puck around Ruby.
Niagara continued to increase its lead in the final minutes of the second period off the stick of Ryan Rashid via assists by Dan Kolenda and Vince Muto. Kolenda tipped the puck to Muto at the top of the slot for a one-timer that Rashid deflected past Ruby for his team-leading eighth goal of the season.
Niagara hits the ice tomorrow when it travels to Ritter Arena in Rochester, N.Y. to face off against RIT for game two of the weekend series. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
