Inside College Hockey | CHA Stick Salute, Bench Minor, Weekend Getaway

January 7, 2009

CHA Stick Salute, Bench Minor, Weekend Getaway

By Warren Kozireski

STICK SALUTE

Niagara senior netminder Juliano Pagliero (pictured, right) has allowed more than two goals in a game just once in his last eight starts going back to early November, and his team is 7-1 during that run. That includes last Friday’s shutout of Sacred Heart, Pagliero’s third of the season. He’s now 9-5-1 on the season, stands 16th in the nation with a 2.08 goals against average and 12th in the country with a .930 save percentage.

BENCH MINOR

Maybe I’m asking too much, but there have been several game CHA boxscores this season listing penalties as (2-CHECKING). Last I knew, checking was a permitted activity during a game and not subject to a two-minute sit. Most boxscores list very specifically CHECKING FROM BEHIND or CROSS-CHECKING or HITTING AFTER THE WHISTLE.

So which is it? Inquiring minds want to know…

WEEKEND GETAWAY

Robert Morris at Alabama-Huntsville, Friday and Saturday

The Colonials took three points from the Chargers earlier this season, but both the win and tie required RMU third-period heroics. A sweep by either team will propel them past Niagara, which plays a non-conference series at Cornell this weekend, and into second place to start the second half of the season.

It’s the first opportunity for Chargers fans to see their team on home ice since Nov. 7-8, when more than 7,800 people — including the second largest crowd in school history (4,368) — poured into the Von Braun Center for two games against Bemidji State during “Military Appreciation Weekend.”

While you’re there…

Saturday’s game is a 3 p.m. start, so you can make it a UAH sports triple-header by catching Charger women’s and men’s basketball at 5 and 7p.m. over in Spragins Hall. You’ll need to join the women’s game in the midst of their conference battle with Valdosta State. The men’s team also battles the Blazers.