MEN'S HOCKEY: No joke, Pagliero ready for Michigan

Niagara U.

Related Photos

Niagara logo

March 25, 2008

By Tim Schmitt/tschmitt@gnnewspaper.com The Niagara Gazette Tue Mar 25, 2008, 10:51 PM EDT

If the members of the Niagara University men’s hockey team are sporting smiles after Friday’s NCAA Tournament game against No. 1 Michigan, it’ll probably be because their star goaltender was wearing one before faceoff.

Juliano Pagliero’s best career showing came last year when he turned aside 52 shots in a 2-1 overtime loss to Denver, then the nation’s seventh-ranked team. Although the host Pioneers bombarded him with shots, Pagliero kept the Purple Eagles in it until the final seconds — Denver scored with just 6.1 seconds left in overtime.

“I was joking around that morning, and I’m not a joking guy,” Pagliero said. “I think going in (against Michigan), it’s just playing one shot at a time.”

Maybe with the pressure off, Pagliero can crack a few more one-liners. No. 19 Niagara accomplished its first and most pressing order of business — winning the College Hockey America Tournament on home ice. As a low seed against a team many think is the favorite to win the NCAA title, the Purple Eagles can come in with a more footloose approach.

Where losing the CHA Tournament at home would have made the season a failure, a win over Michigan on Friday at the Albany Times-Union Center could make it the best in school history.

“There’s really no pressure on Niagara. When you look on paper, it’s a mismatch,” said Niagara assistant coach Greg Gardner, Pagliero’s mentor and the man between the pipes the only time Niagara ever won an NCAA Tournament game in 2000.

“Michigan is supposed to win the game, so we’re treating this like any other weekend. We’re fast and loose.”

While the Eagles insist they’re approaching this game as any other, it certainly is not. Michigan has one of the nation’s top players in Kevin Porter, the odds-on favorite to win the Hobey Baker Award, given to college hockey’s best player. In the storied history of Michigan hockey, 10 others have been nominated for the award, but only current Vancouver Canuck Brendan Morrison brought the hardware back to Ann Arbor.

And that’s hardly where the Michigan offense ends. Chad Kolarik is sixth in the country with 48 points while freshman Max Pacioretty (14 goals, 34 points) and Travis Turnbull (15 goals, 27 points) can also fill the nets.

“It’s obviously going to be a game against some very offensive players, some good offensive players,” Pagliero said. “I’m definitely going to go in and try not to put any more pressure than I have for any game.”

Because of the tournament format — like the men’s basketball tournament, one 60-minute effort can get a lower seed to advance — Pagliero’s performance could hold the key to Niagara’s upset bid.

“Goaltending is the key,” Gardner said. “If he has his A-game, and everything goes right, you never know what can happen.”

And Gardner has a good feeling about his goalie. Pagliero held his ground in the waning moments of the CHA final win over Bemidji State, giving the Purple Eagles their first conference crown in four years. He’ll need to have one of his best games ever, but Gardner believes it’s a possibility.

“The passes might come a little quicker, the turnover gets at you a little faster, but really, Pags is ready. Last week was the pressure cooker. That was pressure, this game is just fun,” Gardner said.

“We’re not a true 16 seed. We’ve been ranked all year. We’re kind of hidden. On the right night, with the right circumstances ... ”

Contact group sports editor Tim Schmitt at 282-2311, ext. 2266.

Text Only | Photo Reprints

Niagara U.

Niagara shuts out Canisius
Paul Zanette had a goal and assist while goaltender Chris Noonan made 29 saves to propel the Niagara University men’s hockey team to a critical 3-0 victory over Canisius at the Buffalo State College Sports Complex.

February 17, 2011
Situation getting worse for Niagara basketball team
Niagara sank into last place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference with a 51-49 loss at Manhattan, which came into the game on a 15-game losing streak Monday. And that was hardly the most ominous news to come out of the lost weekend, which also included Saturday’s setback at Saint Peter’s.

January 17, 2011
Niagara falls hard in big game
With Calvin Murphy being honored at halftime and ESPNU showing the game nationwide, the Purple Eagles missed more than twice as many shots as they made and lost 82-65 to visiting Metro Atlantic Athletic foe Rider before a crowd of 1,275.

January 8, 2011 1 Photo
A legend holds court at NU
Calvin Murphy adds to his legend in return

January 7, 2011 3 Photos
Calvin Murphy excited to come back to Niagara
Murphy is passionate about showing his loyalty to Niagara because the university has done the same for him over the years.

January 6, 2011
Niagara loses by 45 at Drexel
The Niagara men’s basketball team suffered through its most lopsided loss in over a decade on its worst offensive night in almost a century.

December 28, 2010
Niagara making impression in Atlantic Hockey
As second semester approaches, Purple Eagles have rebounded after down year

December 27, 2010 1 Photo
Purple Eagles encouraged to follow the leader
Having lost seven of eight games for just the second time in his 12 years at Niagara, coach Joe Mihalich is concerned that his roster of mostly freshmen and sophomores is not responding to the leadership being provided by his lone senior.

December 27, 2010
Dobrich pursues his passion coaching the Purple Eagles
Luke Dobrich, 32, is in his eighth season as a men’s basketball assistant coach at Niagara, and his first as the senior member of head coach Joe Mihalich’s staff.

December 22, 2010
Nelson’s basket lifts NU past Bowling Green
Anthony Nelson’s basket with just a second left on the shot clock proved the game’s winning play as the Purple Eagles evened their record at 2-2 with a 65-61 victory over Bowling Green on Friday.

November 26, 2010
More Niagara U. Headlines

Niagara U.

Search Results

Related Photos

MEN'S HOCKEY: No joke, Pagliero ready for Michigan

Site Map

Contact Us