Jan. 30, 2004

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2003-04 - Games 25 & 26

WSU MEN'S HOCKEY (6-16-2, 2-10-0 CHA)
at Niagara (13-10-3, 8-2-0 CHA)
Friday-Saturday, Feb. 6-7 - Niagara Univ., N.Y.

MATCH-UP AT A GLANCE:

Arena -- Dwyer Arena (2,000)
Surface -- 200' x 85'
Face-off -- 7:05 p.m. Eastern
Site -- Niagara University, N.Y.
Series Record -- Wayne State leads 11-4-1

THE GAMES

The Wayne State University men's hockey team returns to competition with a two-game College Hockey America series at the Niagara University Purple Eagles on Feb. 6-7 after taking this weekend (Jan. 31-Feb. 1) off.

The Warriors had played 10 games in a 29-day span dating back to Dec. 27. WSU went 2-8-0 during the stretch and will now play a two-game series each of the next five weekends to conclude the regular season.

Wayne State has a 2-3-0 road league mark, but an 0-7-0 record at home.

Following the trip to New York, WSU entertains CCHA member Northern Michigan for a non-conference series on Feb. 13-14 at the Compuware Sports Arena in Plymouth. Face-off both nights is at 7:05 p.m.

The Warriors then have a home-and-home series against Findlay (Feb. 21 at Findlay and Feb. 22 in Plymouth) precedes a two-game CHA series at Alabama-Huntsville (Feb. 28-29). Wayne State wraps-up the regular season at home versus the U.S. Air Force Academy on March 5-6.

The CHA quarterfinals will take place on Friday, March 12 at the Tri-City Arena in Kearney, Neb.

THE COACHES

WSU head coach Bill Wilkinson is in his fifth season as the Warrior bench boss. He has a 78-74-13 record at WSU with an overall collegiate head coaching mark of 391-375-66 in his 22nd season.

Dave Burkholder, a 1984 graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology, has a 47-42-9 mark in his third year with the Purple Eagles.

THE SERIES

Wayne State leads 11-4-1 in the all-time series despite two Niagara wins in Michigan earlier this season. WSU is 4-2-0 in New York. The Warriors began the series with an 11-game (10-0-1) unbeaten streak.

IN THE POLLS

The Warriors were selected fourth in the College Hockey America (CHA) preseason coaches poll after finishing tied-for-third in 2002-03. Niagara was picked second in the conference by the CHA coaches.

SCOUTING NIAGARA

The Purple Eagles have been idle since Jan. 24. NU is 2-0-1 in its last three games.

Junior forward Barret Ehgoetz (18-20--38) leads the team in goals, assists, points, power-play goals (6) and game-winning goals (4). Senior Joe Tallari (12-11--23) was a Hobey Baker finalist in 2003. Sophomore goalie Jeff VanNynatten (10-4-3, 3.07, .899) has started 18 of the 26 games.

NU's power play has scored 19 times in 133 opportunities (14.3%), while the penalty-killing units have stopped 94 of 119 (79.0%) opponent chances.

BEMIDJI STATE RECAP

Wayne State had its home losing streak extended to seven games with two setbacks against CHA leader Bemidji State, 6-2 and 6-1.

In Friday's contest, BSU started the scoring 1:33 into the game when Ryan Huddy netted his third of the campaign on a rebound from Wade Chiodo and Riley Riddell.

The Beavers increased their lead to 2-0 at the 6:42 mark when Luke Erickson intercepted a Warrior clearing pass and fed Brendan Cook for his 12th of the year. The guests had a 13-3 shots on goal advantage during the opening 20 minutes.

WSU cut the deficit to one at 2-1 when sophomore John May scored his third of the season as he batted the puck out of the air. Nate Higgins and Nicholas Staneckyj cycled the puck down low with Higgins feeding the puck out front.

The Warriors went on the power play just past the mid-point of the second period, but BSU's Cook scored a short-handed goal as he finished off a two-on-one with Erickson. Bryce Methven earned his first of two assists in the game on the Beavers third goal. Erickson added a power-play goal with 4:16 left in the middle stanza from Cook and Methven.

Wayne State made it a 4-2 game just 2:43 into the third period. Steve Kovalchik started the scoring play at his own blueline. He fed Higgins in the neutral zone and his pass glanced off Ryan Wright to Jason Baclig. After carrying the puck into the offensive zone, Baclig made a nifty pass to Higgins for his seventh lamp-lighter of the campaign.

Riddell and Peter Jonsson would tack on goals for the guests.

WSU senior goalie Marc Carlson made 29 saves including two double-digit period totals (11 in the first and 13 in the second), while BSU netminder Grady Hunt turned aside 10 Warrior shots. Wayne State went zero-for-two with the man-advantage, while the Beavers had two power-play goals in six chances.

For the second straight day, the conference-leading Beavers scored twice in each period for the victory. On Saturday, Rob Sirianni broke a scoreless tie at 8:03 of the first period with an unassisted goal.

For the third time in the last four games, all at home, WSU tied the game at one when freshman Jason Baclig's shot trickled past BSU goalie Layne Sedevie into the net at the 9:42 mark of the opening stanza. Bemidji regained a one-goal lead at the 12:07 mark on an even-strength goal by Ryan Miller.

The Beavers scored two power-play goals in the middle period (Riley Riddell at the 1:07 mark, and Brendan Cook at the 6:22 mark).

BSU added two goals in the third period to complete the scoring. John Haider's blueline shot during a four-on-four situation came just 31 seconds into the period. Lou Garritan's breakaway goal was scored 4:30 into the third period.

Wayne State sophomore netminder Matt Kelly made 39 saves including double-digit totals in all three periods. Sedevie was credited with 23 stops. WSU went zero-for-three on the power play, while BSU scored twice in five man-advantage opportunities.