Niagara U.
INSIDE COLLEGE HOCKEY: League change hasn’t affected Niagara's recruiting
The College Hockey America swan song is under way, even if the Niagara men’s hockey team has yet to open league play.
The Purple Eagles open their final season before jumping to Atlantic Hockey on Nov. 13 when Robert Morris comes to Dwyer Arena for the first of a home-and-home set with the Colonials.
Those wondering if recruiting has been altered since Niagara is dropping to a league that offers fewer scholarships should be relieved to hear coach Dave Burkholder.
“We haven’t seen a thing change,” he said.
If the players in his freshman class are any indication, the blueline should be set for next season’s Atlantic Hockey debut. Senior captain Ryan Annesley is nearing a return after a lingering upper-body injury, but a solid group of newcomers consisting of C.J. Chartrain, Tyler Matthews, Jason Beattie and Dan Weiss have filled in admirably, even bumping returning players Derek Foam and Robert Martini on occasion.
Now, Burkholder said he and assistant coaches Greg Gardner and Tim Madsen are targeting offensive players, primarily in the United States Hockey League and Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League, where most of the program’s top recruits have hailed.
“Traditionally, the guys put up numbers in those leagues see it translate over to our league,” Burkholder said.
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ALUMNI UPDATE: When the trio of Juliano Pagliero, Vince Rocco and Dan Sullivan decided to sign contracts in the Italian Serie A circuit, each new the experience would be considerably different than anything they’d been through. Still, as the starting goalie for Alleghe, even Pagliero was a little taken by surprise during a pre-game ritual on the road at Brunico. The hosts’ mascot is a wolf, and before the opening faceoff the mascot came into Pagliero’s crease and lifted its leg. The crowd cheered heartily. “It’s in the German part of Italy,” Pagliero said by e-mail, keeping both our cell phone bills reasonable. “So I had no idea what the guy on the intercom was saying while it happened.” As for the crowds in scenic Alleghe, which is nestled in the Alps? “The fans are great,” Pagliero said. “And from what I hear they pick up during ski season.” ... Pagliero’s former teammate, Matt Caruana, has been hot in the ECHL with the Gwinnett Gladiators just outside Atlanta. Caruana has five goals and seven points in the team’s first seven games. ... Former NU defenseman Scott Langdon didn’t score one time in 60 games last year with the ECHL’s Reading Royals, but he’s already notched his first goal this year, as he scored against Elmira on Oct. 17. Langdon is tied for fourth on the Royals in scoring with four points, while he leads the team with 24 penalty minutes.
- Niagara U.
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MEN'S HOCKEY: UAH stuns Niagara in OT to take CHA title
In what might be a fitting finale to a league that never really found continuity or conformity, the last College Hockey America hockey game finished with a surprise and little sense of closure for the home team.
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MEN'S BASKETBALL: Next year, Niagara will be in Nelson's hands
Always a gifted passer, Nelson has improved his all-around game since his freshman year, and although he wasn’t one of the five point guards on the 15-member all-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference’s team last year, Lewis predicted he’ll be recognized as one of the league’s best players next year.
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FOOTBALL: Niagara basketball player piques Packers' interest
All those times Tyrone Lewis went flying into the Gallagher Center grandstands, could he have been preparing to take the Lambeau leap?
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MEN'S HOCKEY: Niagara upsets top-seed Bemidji in CHA semifinal
When the history of the short-lived College Hockey America becomes little more than a Wikipedia entry, the lead sentence will certainly need a blurb about the rivalry between Bemidji State and Niagara University.
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MEN'S HOCKEY: Robert Morris coach has had enough of CHA
While some see next year’s move to Atlantic Hockey by Robert Morris and Niagara as a regression, Colonials’ coach Derek Schooley is anything but a detractor.
- MEN'S HOCKEY: Alabama-Huntsville will play Niagara for CHA title Neil Ruffini scored the lone goal of the game and goaltender Cameron Talbot made 29 saves as the University of Alabama-Huntsville men’s hockey team edged Robert Morris 1-0 in a College Hockey America tournament semifinal at Dwyer Arena on Friday afternoon.
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CHA TOURNAMENT: Ties to NHL run deep for CHA teams
The names are familiar to hockey fans, more than gibberish on the back of a jersey. Yes, before you ask, No. 10 Mironov for Niagara is indeed the son of a National Hockey League player. His uncle played too. And over there, No. 27, that’s the son of Dave Hannan, the guy responsible for ending the longest overtime hockey game in the history of the Buffalo Sabres.
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CHA TOURNAMENT: Is Niagara's Moran the man?
Chris Moran is tricky. Crafty. The kind of guy who can control portions of a college hockey game without blazing speed, bulking size or a booming shot.
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CHA TOURNAMENT: Our odds to the big event
Tim Schmitt breaks down all four College Hockey America team's chances to win this week's tournament at Dwyer Arena.
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MEN’S HOCKEY: Moran named to final all-CHA team
Chris Moran felt the pressure before the puck even dropped this season, getting his team’s only nod for the final all-College Hockey America preseason team. But it didn’t faze him too much, as the Niagara University senior was also named to the lame duck league’s final postseason team, learning Wednesday of the honor.
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