NCCC loses twice, but set to host playoff game
Niagara County Community College finished the regular season 12-5 overall after a pair of narrow losses over the past few days. Despite the setbacks, NCCC has still earned the right to host an opening-round playoff game at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Hyde Park.
University at Buffalo 3, Niagara CCC 2
The road Thunderwolves mustered 44 shots, which was not enough as UB goaltender Craig Kunz stopped 42. Trevor Goodyear started in net for NCCC and suffered his first UNYCHL loss, finishing with 29 saves.
Dylan Foresta got the Bulls off to a 1-0 lead just 97 seconds into the game. Goodyear went to play the puck behind the net and a miscommunication with his defensemen, Eddie Jetter and Noah Kurial, led to a turnover and UB having an empty net.
NCCC thought it tied the game off a Joey LoBrutto shot off the crossbar, but Matt Stewart was called for slashing two seconds prior. LoBrutto would not be denied in the second period, though, as he dangled through a defenseman before wrapping around the net and tucking the puck off the leg of Kunz to tie the game.
Just 57 seconds later, Chuckie Schmidl scored on a two-on-one, taking the feed from Jason Kuchey to give NCCC the lead. Matthew Cohen tied it at two for the Bulls 90 seconds later.
Early in the third, Joshua Abbott cashed in on a fortuitous play for UB. NCCC defenseman Jason Kuchey's stick was stuck in the zamboni door, allowing for UB to have an advantage. Abbott's shot from the right-wing circle deflected over the shoulder of Goodyear for what would be the game-winning goal.
Momentum swung towards UB for the front half of the third period before a series of chances by NCCC were denied by Kunz. N-Trip pulled the goaltender for an extra attacker, but it was not enough as UB held on to win.
Niagara University 5, Niagara CCC 2
NCCC's six-game win streak was cut down by the division-leading Purple Eagles in a UNYCHL Metro Division clash on Friday night.
Evan Kopp started in net for the Thunderwolves and was tested early. Niagara got off to a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes of play with goals from forward Chad Moore and defenseman Case Cook.
LoBrutto scored for NCCC early in the second period to make it a one-goal game. Both Kopp and NU goaltender Ben Randall had strong finishes to the second period as the Purple Eagles held a one-goal lead heading to the third stanza.
NCCC defenseman Thomas Dworak threw a neutral-zone hit on an NU forward to cause a turnover. On the ensuing rush, Anthony Miller found Dworak at the top of the left-wing circle, converting a wrist shot to tie it at two.
The momentum was short-lived as Niagara quickly responded to regain the lead. A power-play goal midway through the period gave NU a two-goal lead and it added a fifth goal with under three minutes to play. Randall earned his fourth UNYCHL win on the season and Evan Kopp fell to 5-2 on the year.
Playoff Preview
The Thunderwolves will host a familiar postseason rival in St. John Fisher University at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Hyde Park for the first playoff game of the 2022-23 season. This is the fourth consecutive season in which the teams have faced each other in postseason play. The first meeting was a quarterfinal matchup in 2018-1, where the Cardinals won off a turnover in double overtime on their way to the championship game. The next season, NCCC got revenge in the semifinals, knocking Fisher out with a 5-2 win before winning its first championship against Buffalo State. Last season, the two teams met in the UNYCHL Tier II Championship with the Thunderwolves winning back-to-back titles by a score of 6-2.
The regular-season series between the Thunderwolves and Cardinals was split 1-1 with the away team winning each match. NCCC won the first game by a score of 6-5 in October at Bill Gray's Iceplex. SJFU then traveled to Hyde Park in December and pulled off a 7-5 win before the winter break. The winner of Friday's matchup will hit the road the following day to face top-ranked St. Bonaventure University in Olean.