BRIDGEPORT, Conn.- The Sacred Heart University Men's Ice Hockey team kicked things back into gear today as SHU shutout Niagara by a final score of 6-0. The Pioneers look for the two-game sweep tomorrow after as they host the Purple Eagles for a 1:05 p.m. puck-drop. The team will also honor its four seniors tomorrow afternoon.

First Period

• The Pioneers outshot the Purple Eagles by a wide margin in the first period 18-7.
• SHU won the face-off battle in the opening period as the Pioneers took 14 while Niagara took nine.
• SHU was the only team to get on the board in the period as senior Jason Cotton tallied his 18^th goal of the year on a wrap-around goal 8:14 into the period to send the Pioneers into the second period with a 1-0 lead.

Second Period 

• The second period was all about the Pioneers as they outshot Niagara 13-2 in the period.
• SHU racked up three goals in the period first coming off the stick of junior co-captain Marc Johnstone off a pair of assists by seniors Mike Lee and Jason Cotton while SHU was on the power-play 2:59 into the period to put SHU ahead 2-0.
• Then as the second half of the period approached, junior Evan Wisocky cashed in his goal of the year off assists by sophomores Nick Boyagian and Todd Goehring 10:49 into the period to put SHU ahead 3-0.
• Less than two minutes later, junior Jordan Kaplan flipped a pop-up goal over the new goalie Brian Wilson at 12:40 into the period to send SHU into the third with a commanding 4-0 lead.

Third Period 

• Thought the scoring was over? Nope just 5:39 into the period senior Vito Bavaro cashed in his 16^th goal of the year off a pair of assists by Jordan Kaplan and first-year Jeppe Urup to put SHU ahead 5-0.
• Then just two minutes later, 7:12 into the period Cotton racked in his second goal of the game and 19^th of the year off a pair of assists by first-year Derek Contessa and goalie Luke Lush to seal the 6-0 victory for the Pioneers.

Notes 

• First-year goalie Luke Lush showed his true skill on the ice tonight as he recorded his career shutout with 20 saves on 20 shots faced while also recording two assists on the day.
• Senior Jason Cotton tallied a three point evening with two goals and one assist to propel him to first on team in goals with 19.
• SHU improves to 19-9-2 overall and 16-7-1 in Atlantic Hockey play.