ALBANY, N.Y. - The Niagara Purple Eagles (22-11-4) were defeated by overall top-ranked Michigan by a score of 5-1 on Friday, at the Times Union Center in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Regionals.
Niagara came out of the gate with a strong defensive game, allowing no goals during the first stanza and holding Michigan to only four shots during the first 15 minutes of the game. Niagara took three penalty with less than five minutes to go in the period giving the Wolverines a power-play opportunity for most of the remaining period, and picked up an additional seven shots.
Niagara was still down a man to start the second period and Michigan capitalized on the man-advantage with Max Pacioretty scoring the Wolverines first goal off a pass from Chad Kolarik from behind Niagara's goal line.
Kevin Porter, centering Michigan's first line, picked up the following three goals, one in the second period and two more consecutive goals in third period, including one power-play goal.
With less than five minutes to go in the game, Vince Rocco (Woodbridge, Ont.) got the puck behind Michigan's net, and sent a centering pass to Matt Caruana (Orono, Ont.) just above the crease for a wrist shot and a goal on Wolverine Billy Sauer to spoil the shut-out.
Kevin Porter marked one more goal on an empty net to advance the score to 5-1.
"Their defense played well," said Caruana. "We hung with them pretty good but penalties hurt us."
"We just didn't have an answer for their top line," said Dave Burkholder. "They have some special players and we didn't get anything going in our transition game."
Juliano Pagliero (Dalroy, Alb.) kept Niagara in the game stopping 34 shots, 19 in the second period alone.
Purple Nation didn't let Niagara down, as 400 N.U. fans, 100 students and the Niagara pep band supported the Purple Eagles for sixty minutes of hockey. Before departing for the game, Niagara was met by over 100 fans as family, friends, classmates and alumni who held a pep-rally for the boys of Monteagle Ridge.
Niagara ends its season with a 22-11-4 record, the second best record to the 99-00 team who ended with 30 wins on the year.
This story courtesy of Niagara University Athletics Communication.
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