The Charger hockey squad limped into the weekend series banged up and shorthanded but before the weekend was done they earned a split with the Niagara Purple Eagles to remain atop the College Hockey America standings.
UAH skated into Friday night's game short one skater due to injuries and suspensions. The Chargers run of bad luck would continue as starting center Gerald Overton went down with a separated shoulder early in the second period leaving UAH down two skaters for the night.
The Charger's jumped out in front despite what appeared to be sluggish play, as Jason Tinwick netted the only goal in the first period to put UAH up on top 1-0 through one. Niagara responded with three second-period goals to take a 3-1 lead after two before adding an insurance measure in the sixth minute of the third to push the lead to 4-1.
Tyler Butler used the power play to the Chargers advantage netting his third goal of the season to tighten the match up with 3:27 remaining in the game. Niagara finished off the Chargers in the final minute with a goal to push the lead back to three. Charger netminder Adam MacLean turned away 34 Purple Eagle shots in the loss.
The squad that seemed sluggish and slow footed on Friday night disappeared Saturday night as the Chargers played much harder and controlled most of the game. The freshman line of Craig Bushey, Jared Ross and Keith Rowe provided the fireworks for UAH in the 5-2 win.
Ross, a native Huntsvillian, opened up the scoring with 30 seconds remaining in the opening period as UAH caught the Purple Eagles in a line change. With the game eerily resembling the beginnings of Friday night's game, Ross netted an unassisted goal just over two minutes into the second period.
After Ross put the Chargers ahead 2-0, the rookie line took the ice again and 18 seconds later Bushey netted the third netter of the night on an assist from Ross. Ten seconds later junior Jason Hawes knocked Niagara goaltender Rob Bonk from the game with the Charger's third goal in 28 seconds to put UAH out in front 4-0. The trifecta of goals were the fastest three in school history surpassing the previous mark of 47 seconds set against Stonehill in 1994.
UAH would extend the lead to 5-0 off a Jessi Otis shot before NU would storm back with three of their own in the period to tighten things at 5-3. That would be all of the scoring in the match however, as junior Mark Byrne turned away eight of his 25 saves in the third period to clinch the win for the Chargers. The win snapped a four-game skid for UAH and a seven-game losing streak to the Purple Eagles.
UAH-Niagara Game 1 Boxscore
UAH-Niagara Game 2 Boxscore