Box Score MILFORD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart men's hockey team ended an eight-game winless streak with a convincing 5-0 win over the Niagara Purple Eagles on Saturday night at the Milford Ice Pavilion.
Sacred Heart (6-10-2, 5-7-1 AHC) started strong and opened the scoring just 4:21 into the first period. Justin Danforth dug the puck out of the right corner and Zach Luczyk converted the pinpoint centering pass into the back of the net. Niagara (3-12-2, 3-7-1 AHC) had nine shots in the period but were unable to beat Pioneers' goalie Brett Magnus.
The Pioneers opened the floodgates in the second period. Just 30 seconds into the period, captain Mitch Nylen blasted a shot from the left circle by the Purple Eagles' goalie Jackson Teichroeb for a 2-0 lead. The Pioneers added to their lead with a shorthanded goal with 16:49 left in the period as Danforth was able to beat everyone to a clearing pass and fed Evan Jasper for the goal. Sacred Heart made it 4-0 with 13:25 left when Connor Doherty slipped the puck in from a pileup for a power play goal. In the third period, Minello added an empty net goal with 19 seconds remaining to cap the scoring for Sacred Heart.
For the game, Niagara outshot Sacred Heart 36-26. On power play chances, Sacred Heart was 1-for-2 and Niagara was 0-for-5. Magnus notched his third shutout of the season and had 36 saves. Danforth has now had three points in two out his last three games and has 11 assists for the season. Sacred Heart's shorthanded goal was the team's fifth of the season.
Sacred Heart hosts Niagara again Sunday night January 3rd at the Milford Ice Pavilion. Faceoff is 7:05 p.m.
FIRST PERIOD
- Luczyk's goal was his fourth of the season, and his second in three games.
- With 10:34 remaining. Magnus made a quality kick save to keep Niagara off the scoreboard.
- Justin Danforth's hard slap shot from the blue line was steered aside by Teichroeb with 5:30 remaining in the period.
- Just 28 seconds later, Jordan Minello's wrist shot from just inside the right circle hit the crossbar.
SECOND PERIOD
- With 10:59 remaining, Evan Jasper's shorthanded try was blocked aside by Teichroeb.
- Sacred Heart was 1-for-1 on the power play in the period. Niagara was 0-for-3.
- Magnus made 13 saves in the period.
THIRD PERIOD
- With 10:25 remaining, Magnus made a strong pad save to preserve the shutout.
- Magnus had 14 saves in the period.
- Minello's goal was his sixth of the season, tying him with Danforth for the team lead.
