Niagara Purple Eagles men's ice hockey

Last updated
Niagara Purple Eagles men's ice hockey
Hockey current event.svg Current season
Initials niagara univ.svg
University Niagara University
Conference AHA
Head coach Jason Lammers
7th season, 7711121 (.419)
Assistant coaches
  • Mark Phalon
  • Nate Skidmore
Arena Dwyer Arena
Lewiston, New York
ColorsPurple and white [1]
   
NCAA Tournament appearances
2000, 2004, 2008, 2013
Conference Tournament championships
CHA: 2000, 2004, 2008
Conference regular season championships
CHA: 2000, 2006, 2007
AHA: 2013
Current uniform
AHA-Uniform-NU.png

The Niagara Purple Eagles men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college ice hockey program that represents Niagara University. The Purple Eagles are a member of Atlantic Hockey. They play at the Dwyer Arena in Lewiston, New York. [2]

Contents

History

After several years of playing at the club level, the team turned varsity in the 1996–97 season, which they played as independent.

In 1999 they became charter members of the College Hockey America, joining two other independent teams (Air Force and Army) and three former Division II teams (Alabama–Huntsville, Bemidji State and Findlay).

Niagara went undefeated in conference play that season, 1999–00, winning the conference tournament and gaining an at-large invitation to the NCAA tournament, as the conference did not gain an automatic bid until the 2003 tournament. Starting goaltender Greg Gardner set a single-season NCAA record for shutouts with 12 as Niagara posted its first (and only as of 2019) 30-win campaign. The Purple Eagles upset the University of New Hampshire to advance to the Elite Eight, where they lost to North Dakota. North Dakota went on to win that national championship.

Niagara also won the College Hockey America Championship in 2004 and 2008, appearing in the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship again those years. In 2004 they lost against Boston College and in 2008 against Michigan.

On January 29, 2009, Niagara University announced that the team was moving to Atlantic Hockey beginning in the 2010-11 season.

On October 14, 2010, it was announced that Jay McKee would serve as a volunteer assistant coach for Niagara Purple Eagles men's ice hockey, while not ruling out a return to the NHL.

On December 14, 2013 the Purple Eagles faced off against the RIT Tigers in an outdoor hockey game known as Frozen Frontier tying 2-2.

The Niagara men's ice hockey team plays against Air Force in 2019 Air Force Academy Men's Hockey vs Niagara University (5188220).jpg
The Niagara men's ice hockey team plays against Air Force in 2019

Season-by-season results

Source: [3]

Head coaches

As of the completion of 2022–23 season

TenureCoachYearsRecordPct.
1996–2001 Blaise MacDonald 591–58–17.599
2001–2017 Dave Burkholder 16247–279–68.473
2017–Present Jason Lammers 677–111–21.419
Totals3 coaches27 seasons415–448–106.483

NCAA tournament appearances

YearLocationOpponentResult
2000 Target Center New Hampshire W 4-1
North Dakota L 1-4
2004 Verizon Wireless Arena Boston College L 2-5
2008 Times Union Center Michigan L 1-5
2013 Van Andel Arena North Dakota L 1-2

Statistical leaders

Source: [4]

Career points leaders

PlayerYearsGPGAPtsPIM
Barret Ehgoetz 2001–20051417195166142
Mikko Sivonen 1996–2000126657714280
Michael Isherwood 1996–20001265587142112
Chris Moran 2006–201014638103141103
Ted Cook 2005–20091397859137226
Peter DeSantis 1996–2000126676613346
Sean Bentivoglio 2003–20071454389132142
Kyle Martin 1996–2000124606912958
Matt Caruana 2004–20081465178129108
Joe Tallari 2000–20041446064124111

Career goaltending leaders

GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

minimum 30 games played

PlayerYearsGPMinWLTGASOSV%GAA
Carsen Chubak 2010–201345258827116936.9302.16
Chad Veltri 2019–Present33194213164753.9242.30
Chris Noonan 2009–2012613262291881323.9222.43
Greg Gardner 1996–2000113663864331227016.9072.44
Juliano Pagliero 2005–20099853114732112318.9212.61

Statistics current through the start of the 2021–22 season.

Roster

As of September 15, 2023. [5]

No. S/P/CPlayerClassPosHeightWeightDoBHometownPrevious teamNHL rights
2 Flag of Michigan.svg Jonathan ZiskieSophomore F 6' 3" (1.91 m)187 lb (85 kg)2001-03-19 Macomb, Michigan Bismarck  ( NAHL )
3 Flag of Colorado.svg Cole MickelFreshman D 5' 11" (1.8 m)170 lb (77 kg)2002-05-03 Broomfield, Colorado Wisconsin  ( NAHL )
4 Flag of Latvia.svg Gļebs ProhorenkovsSophomore F 6' 2" (1.88 m)187 lb (85 kg)2001-11-12 Riga, Latvia Amarillo  ( NAHL )
5 Flag of Michigan.svg Noah CarlinJunior D 6' 0" (1.83 m)174 lb (79 kg)2000-06-13 Marine City, Michigan Omaha  ( USHL )
7 Flag of Saskatchewan.svg Steven KessleringFreshman F 5' 11" (1.8 m)190 lb (86 kg)2002-05-17 Viceroy, Saskatchewan Battlefords  ( SJHL )
8 Flag of Saskatchewan.svg Luke MylymokSenior F 5' 11" (1.8 m)183 lb (83 kg)2001-09-29 Wilcox, Saskatchewan Minnesota Duluth  ( NCHC )
9 Flag of New York.svg Jay AhearnJunior F 5' 11" (1.8 m)170 lb (77 kg)2001-05-23 Staten Island, New York Johnstown  ( NAHL )
10 Flag of Minnesota.svg Carter RandklevSenior F 5' 8" (1.73 m)163 lb (74 kg)1999-11-05 Moorhead, Minnesota Fargo  ( USHL )
11 Flag of Quebec.svg Olivier GauthierSenior F 5' 10" (1.78 m)185 lb (84 kg)1999-04-09 Ferme-Neuve, Quebec Alaska Anchorage  ( WCHA )
13 Flag of Ontario.svg Jack RichardFreshman F 6' 4" (1.93 m)180 lb (82 kg)2002-12-13 Stoney Creek, Ontario Burlington  ( OJHL )
14 Flag of Saskatchewan.svg Connor MylymokJunior F 6' 1" (1.85 m)205 lb (93 kg)2000-03-18 Wilcox, Saskatchewan Alaska  ( NCAA )
16 Flag of Alberta.svg Jaedon LeslieGraduate F 6' 1" (1.85 m)187 lb (85 kg)1998-08-04 St. Albert, Alberta Ohio State  ( Big Ten )
17 Flag of Wisconsin.svg Max RuohoSophomore D 6' 0" (1.83 m)174 lb (79 kg)2001-03-05 Madison, Wisconsin Minnesota Wilderness  ( NAHL )
18 Flag of Alberta.svg Tyler WallaceFreshman F 6' 2" (1.88 m)188 lb (85 kg)2002-05-19 Calgary, Alberta Blackfalds  ( AJHL )
19 Flag of California.svg Drew VietenSophomore F 6' 1" (1.85 m)190 lb (86 kg)2001-01-10 Calabasas, California Wichita Falls  ( NAHL )
20 Flag of Pennsylvania.svg Christian GorsackSenior F 5' 11" (1.8 m)183 lb (83 kg)2000-06-08 Jeannette, Pennsylvania Johnstown  ( NAHL )
21 Flag of Colorado.svg Shane OttJunior F 6' 1" (1.85 m)181 lb (82 kg)2000-07-21 Centennial, Colorado Janesville  ( NAHL )
22 Flag of Alberta.svg Lane BrockhoffJunior D 6' 1" (1.85 m)207 lb (94 kg)2000-04-11 Edberg, Alberta Camrose  ( AJHL )
23 Flag of Norway.svg Lars RødneJunior F 6' 0" (1.83 m)181 lb (82 kg)2000-07-22 Stavanager, Norway Bismarck  ( NAHL )
24 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Josef MyšákSenior D 6' 3" (1.91 m)215 lb (98 kg)1999-09-08 Litvínov, Czech Republic Austin  ( NAHL )
25 Flag of Pennsylvania.svg Johnny WescoeSophomore F 5' 8" (1.73 m)150 lb (68 kg)2001-01-06 Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania Rockets  (NCDC)
26 Flag of Illinois.svg Alex MurrayJunior D 5' 11" (1.8 m)183 lb (83 kg)2000-03-17 Glenview, Illinois Miami  ( NCHC )
27 Flag of Norway.svg Aron JessliFreshman F 6' 1" (1.85 m)185 lb (84 kg)2004-10-29 Lørenskog, Norway Pickering  ( OJHL )
28 Flag of Alberta.svg Ethan LundSophomore D 5' 10" (1.78 m)185 lb (84 kg)2001-03-16 Calgary, Alberta Brooks  ( AJHL )
29 Flag of New York.svg David PosmaSophomore D 6' 0" (1.83 m)170 lb (77 kg)2003-08-27 Pomona, New York New Jersey  ( NAHL )
30 Flag of Missouri.svg Mitchell DayFreshman G 5' 10" (1.78 m)175 lb (79 kg)2002-01-18 St. Louis, Missouri North Iowa  ( NAHL )
31 Flag of Pennsylvania.svg Jarrett FiskeGraduate G 6' 4" (1.93 m)195 lb (88 kg)1999-05-28 Erie, Pennsylvania American International  ( AHA )
34 Flag of Alberta.svg Noah HackettSophomore F 6' 1" (1.85 m)174 lb (79 kg)2001-12-11 Ponoka, Alberta Brooks  ( AJHL )
39 Flag of Colorado.svg Ryan OuelletteJunior G 6' 0" (1.83 m)185 lb (84 kg)2000-12-06 Colorado Springs, Colorado Wisconsin–Eau Claire  (WIAC)

Awards and honors

NCAA

All-Americans

AHCA Second Team All-Americans


CHA

Individual awards

All-Conference teams

First Team All-CHA

Second Team All-CHA

All-CHA Rookie Team

Atlantic Hockey

Individual awards


All-Conference teams

First Team All-Atlantic Hockey

Second Team All-Atlantic Hockey

  • 2011–12: Chris Noonan, G
  • 2012–13: Dan Weiss, D

Third Team All-Atlantic Hockey

Atlantic Hockey All-Rookie Team

Niagara Purple Eagles Hall of Fame

The following is a list of people associated with the men's ice hockey program who were elected into the Niagara Purple Eagles Hall of Fame (induction date in parentheses). [6]

Purple Eagles in the NHL

As of July 1, 2023.