Box Score NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. – The Pioneers erased a 1-0 deficit with five straight goals to grab a 5-1 win over Niagara in Atlantic Hockey play at Dwyer Arena.
The Sacred Heart Men's Hockey Team, which split the weekend series and gained three points in the standings, got goals from five different players and 24 saves from senior goalie Luke Lush.
The Purple Eagles (3-3, 1-3 AH), who took the lead almost five minutes into the game, had a 25-23 edge in shots, but could not hold the early lead.
"We rebounded after a slow start today," said senior associate head coach Scott McDougall. "We didn't play particularly well in the first period and made some adjustments. The guys did good job responding to that and playing more to our identity in the second."
SHU (3-2, 3-1 AH), which had a nine-goal weekend, got goals from Blake Humphrey, Aidan Connolly, Ryan Steele, Kevin Lombardi and Neil Shea, the last two scored in an empty net.
Humphrey took a Steele feed across the top of the slot and zipped a wrister top shelf at 8:11 of the second period to tie the game. Then Connolly picked off a breakout pass on the edge of the left circle and quickly fired a shot past Jake Sibell 3:30 into the third period for the winner.
A five-minute Niagara major penalty gave the Pios a chance to put the game away, and Steele's snapshot from the right circle did just that.
"Tonight's game was a good test for us, and we knew going in that we needed a strong response," said Steele. "Even though we got down early, all the guys stuck to the game plan, and it eventually paid off. We'll look to build off this win and carry the momentum into next weekend."
McDougall added, "We played a great road third period and were able to come out of here with three big league points."
PIOS POINTS
There were a few milestones reached this weekend. Senior captain Braeden Tuck served up his 50th career assist on Friday, while grad student Austin Magera had his 50th and 51st that night. In that same game, sophomore D Hunter Sansubry scored his first goal and rookie F Chikara Hanzawa got his first collegiate assist and point… After five road games to start the 2022-23 regular season, SHU opens its home slate next Friday and Saturday with 7 and 4 p.m. games against Canisius at Total Mortgage Arena.
