WORCESTER, MA. – Despite scoring the game’s first two goals, the Purple Eagles men’s hockey team failed to hold that lead against the Holy Cross Crusaders. Five unanswered goals from the home team led to a 5-2 loss for Niagara Friday night at the Hart Center.
Keegan Harper and Vinny Muto each scored their first goals of the year for the Purple Eagles (1-8-2, 1-3-1 Atlantic Hockey). Harper’s goal was a power-play tally, the team’s first goal with the man advantage on the road this season. Stephen Pietrobon and Matt Dineen added assists, and Guillaume Therien made 26 saves in the loss.
“It is going to take a lot more grit and determination to earn a win on the road against a fast Holy Cross team,” head coach Dave Burkholder said. “We will need a lot more positive impact from our forwards tomorrow night.”
The two teams struggled to find offense early, but penalty troubles for both teams opened up the play as the first period continued. Niagara was able to kill off two consecutive penalties before heading to the power play afterwards. Holy Cross killed the first penalty, but as the second one came to a close, the Purple Eagles connected. A clearing attempt around the boards by the Crusaders was held at the blue line by Keegan Harper, who squared up and launched a slap shot past Holy Cross goaltender Paul Berrafato for the 1-0 lead.
Vinny Muto unleashed a wrist shot from the point to give Niagara a 2-0 lead to open the second, but Holy Cross (6-6-0, 5-3-0 Atlantic Hockey) seized the reins after that. Mike Barrett scored on a power play 52 seconds after Muto’s goal, and Brett Lubanski erased the Niagara lead just 47 seconds after that. With Niagara stuck in a 5-on-3 disadvantage late in the second period, T.J. Moore scored the eventual game-winner with a long slap shot from the left point, giving Holy Cross a 3-2 lead after two.
The Purple Eagles could not find a way past Berrafato in the third period to tie the game. Spencer Trapp beat Therien with another long shot from the point at the 13:27 mark of the third period, and Danny Lopez found some space in the slot to give the Crusaders an insurance goal with just under three minutes to play.
Niagara and Holy Cross square off again tomorrow night, Nov. 28 at 7:05 p.m. back at the Hart Center. The game will be broadcast on 1340 AM WLVL.
