The Niagara hockey team and Robert Morris played to a 3-3 stalemate in Atlantic Hockey action after the Purple Eagles had to battle back from a goal down twice on Saturday evening at 94 Lumber Arena.
The Purple Eagles netted an early goal, but had to come from behind twice to earn the point and push their record to 1-0-1 in league play and 1-2-1 overall. The freshmen had a good showing for the Purps, as Brock Edwards and Tyler Akenson netted their first goals, while goaltender Adrian Ignagni made a career-high 35 stops in the draw.
Mike Conderman had a two-point night with a pair of assists, and freshman Phil Nasca pocketed his first career point off a helper.
A trio of power play goals was scored between the two teams, Robert Morris going 2-for-5 while NU went 1-for-3 on the man advantage. Niagara could not make the most of a five minute major awarded to Robert Morris in the final minutes of the third period which spilled into overtime.
“It was another classic Robert Morris, Niagara game,” head coach Dave Burkholder said. “It was two teams playing very hard. I thought 5-on-5 there was a lot to like with our game, but it was a special team’s game tonight which cost us a point on the road. We’ve got a lot to work on, but I still thought our effort and energy was there for the whole game.”
Niagara took the lead at 5:35 of the first period when Nasca whipped the puck from the right boards the crease where Edwards was waiting on the doorstep to bury it past RMU goalie Terry Shafer for his first collegiate goal.
Less than five minutes later, it was 1-1. Scott Jacklin got the puck and went in 2-one-1, dishing off to Cody Wydo on the left side, who released a high shot that beat Ignagni stick side.
The Colonials almost went into the first intermission with the lead, but could not capitalize on a Niagara mistake. With 27 seconds remaining in the period, Ignagni mishandled the puck behind the net, and had to scramble back to the crease on all fours before jumping onto the loose puck that was sitting in the blue paint.
RMU began to clamp things down in the second and eventually earned its first lead of the game midway through. Ben Robillard gave the Colonials a 2-1 advantage via assists by Scott Jacklin and David Friedmann 10:10 into the second while playing a man up.
Despite starting the period slow, pressure from the Purple and White began to increase as the period wore on especially in the final five minutes. Matt Williams blasted a shot from inside the blue line that sailed just wide of the goal and Sam Alfieri followed that with a chance as a backhand pass from Hugo Turcotte into traffic was collated by Alfieri in the slot and backhanded toward net, but it was pushed aside by the Colonial goaltender.
Niagara’s persistence paid off late in the second after Akeson secured his first career goal while on the power play with 34 seconds remaining in the stanza. The rookie collected a cross ice feed from Matt Chiarantano at the top of the circle, and his quick release flew over the shoulder Shafer.
After NU killed off an RMU power play that spilled over from the second frame, the Colonials made sure to capitalize on their next power play of the contest, scoring just eight seconds into the man advantage to regain the lead. Friedmann cleaned up a rebound on a shot John Rey, whose shot was pushed aside by Ignagni out front where Friedmann one-timed the loose puck top shelf at 6:49 in the third.
For the second time in the contest the Purple Eagles responded with a game tying goal as Isaac Kohls controlled a rolling puck in front of Shafer, roofing it backhand at 11:45 to even the game, 3-3. The assists were credited to Conderman and Williams.
Niagara finished regulation on the man-advantage as Robert Morris was penalized with a five minute major with 3:23remaining in the game. The Purple Eagles were unable to set up in the defensive zone, only getting two looks on net before the final buzzer. Niagara’s power play unit went back to work at the start of overtime with 1:36 remaining on the man advantage, but the Colonials killed it off. Extra time wrapped up with shots in favor of NU, 3-0.
The Purple Eagles continue their road trip next weekend with a two-game stint at Colorado. Niagara takes to the ice against No. 12 Denver on Friday, Oct. 25 before traveling to Colorado Springs, Colo. on Sunday, Oct. 27 for an AHA tilt against Air Force.
