Purple Eagles Defeat RIT, Will Host First Round Of Playoffs
NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – Following its 4-2 victory over RIT to close out the regular season, the Niagara men’s hockey team is poised to host its first playoff series since 2014. The two teams remained close until the tail end of the third period, when a highlight-reel goal from Luke Edgerton proved to be the game winner.
Game Recap
• After a scoreless first, Noah Delmas wasted little time in the second before tallying the game’s first goal. 52 seconds in, Delmas netted his 11th of the season and his third goal in the team’s last five games.
• Just as he did in the second, Delmas scored less than a minute into the third to put the Purple Eagles ahead. The junior’s second goal of the night came 48 seconds in and was assisted by Ludwig Stenlund.
• With 7:39 left in regulation, RIT was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for contact to the head. On the power play, Niagara generated two shots on target but couldn’t score to take the lead back.
• After the penalty expired, the Purple Eagles continued to churn out chances and was finally rewarded with a beauty of a goal from Edgerton. Entering the zone with Stenlund, Edgerton calmed the puck by kicking it to himself, skated into the crease, and as he was taken down, flicked the puck past the goalie using just one hand.
• RIT pulled the netminder looking for another tying goal, but Stenlund put the game on ice with an empty netter for his third point of the evening.
Up Next
• The Atlantic Hockey playoffs!
• With the win tonight, Niagara has secured the right to host a first-round series on March 8-10. The final seed and opponent will be determined with the other 10 conference teams in action over the next three days. As it stands, the Purple Eagles sit in sixth place in the AHA and hold the tiebreaker over Mercyhurst should both teams end the regular season with 27 points.
