The Pioneers made their trip to Western New York a clean sweep, opening a 2-1 lead in the first period en route to a 5-3 washing of the Purple Eagles at Dwyer Arena.
Niagara took a 1-0 lead just over five minutes into the first period as Johnny Curran scored his eighth of the season on a short-handed bid. But Alex bates and Marc Johnstone scored within five minutes of one another in the middle of the period to give Sacred Heart a 2-1 lead after the first period.
Jackson Barliant made it 3-1 early in the second, but Sam Rennaker scored just 11 seconds after him to cut the lead back to one goal. It lasted until the 7:54 mark, when Johnstone again scored, potting his ninth of the year to push the lead back to two.
Three of Sacred Heart’s goals came on the power play. Both of Johnstone’s goals were scored with the extra skater on the ice, and Ruslan Rakhmatov scored in the third period.
Brett Magnus made 13 saves in the first period and 11 in the third en route to a 33-save night in goal for Big Red.
