NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara hockey team has found itself on the national polls for the seventh straight week after dropping Air Force this weekend, jumping up one spot to the No. 17 ranking in the most recent USCHO.com Division I poll.

The Purps have been ranked in the prior six polls, tying the program record of seven consecutive weeks that was earned during the 2006-07 season (Jan. 2 – Feb. 12).  The team’s highest ranking this season came during the week of Dec. 10, pulling down a No. 16 ranking in the USCHO.com Poll which was the team’s best position in the poll since the 2006-07 season when NU earned the 16^th spot for two consecutive weeks (Jan. 22 & Jan. 29).

The NCAA Tournament Pairwise Comparison Ratings has NU tied at No. 16 with Robert Morris and Colgate.

A thrilling 4-3 victory over the Falcons this past weekend pushed the Purple Eagles to an 11-3-4 overall record, and a 10-0-1 Atlantic Hockey mark.  The team is tops in the conference, five points ahead of second-place Army.  The win on Saturday also marked the team’s 14^th straight contest without a loss on the scoresheet while on home ice.

The Purple Eagles travel to Springfield, Mass. to battle the AIC Yellow Jackets in a weekend series that begins on Friday, Jan. 11, and wraps up the following day.  The puck is scheduled to drop at 7:05 p.m. at the Olympia Ice Center for both contests.

NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – Center Giancarlo Iuorio and goaltender Carsen Chubak are among 77 initial candidates on the fan ballot for the 2013 Hobey Baker Award, given annually to the nation’s best player in NCAA Division I men’s college hockey.

Fans can vote once per every 24 hours through March 10, 2013 for Iuorio and Chubak HERE.

Chubak anchors Niagara’s defense, which ranks ninth in the nation, allowing 1.46 goals-per game which is good enough for second in the country.  Leading the Purps to a No. 17 national ranking and an 11-3-4 overall record, Chubak ranks first in the nation in save percentage .954 and shutouts (5).

Starting in all, but two games over the last 17 games, he is a five-time Atlantic Hockey Goalie of the Week this season and was the AHA Goalie of the Month for October and November.

Iuorio, who serves as the team’s assistant captain, has played a pivotal role in the NU offense.  The two-time AHA Player of the Week and Player of the Month for November is tied for third in the nation in goals (12), and goals-per game (0.67).  His 1.11 points-per game places him 24^th in the nation, while his four power-play tallies slates him in the 22^nd spot.

He became the first Purple Eagle to net three consecutive 20 point season since Egor Mironov and Chris Moran achieved it during the 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 season, while he is only 12 points away from joining the 100-point club that only 13 Purple Eagles have attained.

In Niagara’s 17-year history, Niagara has had a pair of top-10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award.  Paul Zanette earned this distinction after the 2010-11 season, and Joe Tallari was in the final 10 following the 2002-03 campaign.

The Hobey Baker Award is given annually to college hockey’s Most Valuable Player.  Award criteria include candidates emulating the exceptional character traits exhibited by the award’s namesake, Hobey Baker, a World War I flying star better known as America’s greatest amateur athlete in his day.  Award candidates must demonstrate strength of character both on and off the ice, contribute to the integrity of his team and display outstanding skills in all phases of the game.  Consideration should be given to scholastic achievement and sportsmanship.

Finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award are determined by an initial round of balloting by all 58 Division I college coaches; the top 10 names then advance to the award’s selection committee composed of media, NHL scouts, college hockey coaches and supervisors of officials. A fan vote conducted online at hobeybaker.com allows college hockey fans a one-percent vote in each round of balloting.

The top-10 finalists will be unveiled on March 21.

NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara Purple Eagles pocketed their highest ranking in the program’s 17-year history on Monday, pulling down a No. 16 ranking in the USCHO.com Division I Poll.

This is the team’s best position since the 2007-08 season when the Purps earned the 17^th spot for two consecutive weeks (Nov. 19 & Nov. 26).  Niagara has been ranked for the prior three weeks, cracking into the poll at the 20th position on Nov. 19 before holding the 18^th spot for the last two weeks.

The Purps have gone eight consecutive games without a loss on the scoresheet, and are currently riding a nation-best 11-game unbeaten streak, going 9-0-2 in that span.  The team is a perfect 9-0-0 in Atlantic Hockey Conference action, outscoring their opposition 34-8 to top the nation for the fewest goals allowed during conference play this season.

Niagara has several Purple Eagles who have cracked into the top-10 in several statistical categories.  Giancarlo Iuorio is one of the top offensive threats in the nation, ranked first in goals per game (0.80), and 10^th in points per game (1.33).  Mike Benedict has scored a career-high six goals so far this season, including three game-winning tallies which rank him eighth in the nation.

Goaltender Carsen Chubak holds the top spot in the nation in save percentage (.962), goals-against average (1.21) and shutouts (5), while his .821 winning percentage places him third nationally.

Along with the team’s present unbeaten streak, the Purps are ranked in the top-10 in five statistical categories including third in team winning percentage (.767), fourth in combined special teams (57.4), seventh in penalty killing (90.5) and ninth in scoring defense (2.00).

The NCAA Tournament Pairwise Comparison Ratings has NU tied at No. 15 with Harvard and Colgate, while D1Hockey.com lists the Purple Eagles at the No. 14 spot in the country.

Fresh off a weekend sweep of the Sacred Heart Pioneers, the Purps will enter their final home game of the 2012 portion of the schedule with a battle against the RIT Tigers on Wednesday, Dec. 12 at 7:05 p.m.

A reminder for those attending, Niagara will be hosting its Teddy Bear Toss during Wednesday’s game, benefiting the Carly’s Club for Kids & Cancer Research at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.  Fans that bring a new, stuffed animal to the game will receive a discounted ticket, and will be able to toss them onto the ice following the Purple Eagles’ first goal of the game.  There will also be teddy bears for purchase provided by the Beverly Hill Teddy Bear Company.

For ticket information, please call the Niagara Tickets Office (located inside Dwyer Arena) at 716-286-TIXX, visitwww.PurpleEagles.com/Tickets or by emailing Tickets@PurpleEeagles.com.

ELMIRA, N.Y. – The second-ranked Oswego State men’s ice hockey team (12-2-0) out-shot Elmira (5-9-0), 43-23, en route to a 5-2 victory Friday night in Elmira. The Soaring Eagles pulled to within one midway through the second period, but Nick Rivait’s (So., Kingsville, Ontario) first collegiate goal with just over two minutes remaining gave the Lakers momentum heading into the third.

Paul Rodrigues (Sr., Etobicoke, Ontario) lit the lamp at 6:20 in the first period to put Oswego State on the scoreboard. Luke Moodie (Sr., Oakville, Ontario) picked up the assist for the lone marker of the frame.

Moodie netted his team-leading 12th goal of the season early in the second at 1:49 after cleaning a rebound following a Rodrigues shot. Jon Whitelaw (Sr., Huntsville, Ontario) also earned an assist on the play. Elmira answered back after winning the ensuing faceoff, though, as Carter Shinkaruk found the back of the net to make the score 3-1.

With 11 minutes left in the second, Chris Carr (So., Burlington, Ontario) hit David Titanic (Jr., Markham, Ontario) with a pass to push the Laker lead to two goals. However, the Soaring Eagles responded one again 33 seconds later when Tommy Sumi scored following a series of passes from Tyler Campbell and Liam Burtt.

As Elmira started to gain momentum throughout the course of the period, Nick Rivait picked a great time to score his first collegiate goal at the 17:52 mark with Chris Muise (Sr., Oakville, Ontario) being credited with the assist. Oswego State took a 4-2 lead into the locker room.

The Soaring Eagles came out flying in the third period, but Laker goalie Andrew Hare (Sr., Burlington, Ontario) set the tone right away by turning aside four Elmira shots. However, the home team was called for tripping at 3:44 in the third to jump-start Oswego State, as it did not allow a single Soaring Eagle shot for the duration of the game.

Elmira pulled goalie Darren McDonald with one minute remaining, but Whitelaw clinched the victory with an empty-net goal at 19:39. Rodrigues and Moodie earned assists on the play.

In a cleanly played contest, Oswego State was not called for a single penalty compared to four penalties called on Elmira. The Lakers finished the game 0-for-4 with the extra attacker.

Hare stopped 21 of the 23 shots he faced to earn his 10th win of the season, while Darren McDonald finished with 38 saves in the losing effort.

RUTLAND, VT.—Junior assistant captain Mike Arnold (Didsbury,
Alberta/Kingston Voyageurs) scored an extra-attacker goal with 36 seconds
remaining to help the SUNY Potsdam men’s hockey team (5-7-1) a 3-3 tie at
Castleton State (7-5-2) on Friday night. The Bears, who also received
goals from junior forward Adam Place (Scarborough, Ontario/) and senior
captain Matt Viola (Toronto, Ontario/Vaughan Vipers), trailed 3-0 at the
start of the third period.

The Spartans grabbed a 1-0 lead on the power play at 6:39 of the opening
stanza with a marker from Ryan Frost. Castleton outshot the Bears 9-7 and
held the advantage into the intermission.

At 6:20 of the second period, Russ Herzog made the most of a short-handed
opportunity to double the Spartan lead. Eight minutes later, Ben
Shoenberger scored a second power-play goal to give Castleton a
comfortable 3-0 cushion headed into the second break.

Just 2:09 into the final period, Place ignited the comeback with a Potsdam
power-play tally. Junior forward Zach Blake (Campbellford,
Ontario/Plattsburgh State) and freshman forward Billy Pascalli (Deer Park,
N.Y./New York Bobcats) each assisted on the goal. At 7:07, Viola cut the
lead to 3-2 with an even-strength goal on helpers from freshman forward
Mike Riley (Brantford, Ontario/Brantford Golden Bears) and sophomore
forward Trevor Cope (Swartz Creek, Mich./Atlanta Jr. Knights). With ___
left, Bears Head Coach Chris Bernard pulled freshman goaltender Austin
Keiser (Dunwoody, Ga./Boston Bulldogs) for an extra skater. Arnold struck
for the game-tying goal at 19:24.

In overtime, Castleton outshot the Bears 2-0, but Keiser handled both
attempts to seal the draw.

Keiser made 29 saves, while Spartan goalie Thomas Shelley finished with 26
saves. Castleton outshot the Bears 32-29 on the night. The Spartans were
2-10 on the power play and Potsdam finished 1-12.