"Heart Attack" Chargers take win in final minute

Mike Anderson, UAH Sports Information

	Brett McConnachie	Scott Munroe

The Boys in Blue once again showed their character, scoring three unanswered goals to come from behind for a 4-3 win against the Niagara Purple Eagles Friday night in College Hockey America play.

The Chargers took the early lead when Tyler Hilbert (Okotoks, Alb.) took a long lead pass from Brett McConnachie (Ajax, Ont.) and found the back of the net for his second of the season. Niagara would jump back on the Chargers quickly, as tied it up on Randy Harris's eighth goal of the year. Vince Rocco netted his eighth of the season on the power play to put the Purple Eagles on top. Not long after, Chris Martini's (Calgary) night ended early after a checking from behind call netted him a major and misconduct. Bruce Mulherin (Red Deer, Alb.) got a cross checking call not long after, and Marc Norrington cashed in the five-on-three opportunity with a one-timer blast, his fourth of the season.

The 3-1 advantage held through the end of the first period, and no further damage was done on the major penalty. The Chargers would not fall silently into the night, as the captain Jeremy Schreiber (Medicine Hat, Alb.) chose to lead by example. The senior defenseman threw a shot through traffic that took a bounce and found the back of the net for his fourth goal of the season. The power-play tally brought the Chargers within a goal to end the second frame.

In the third frame, junior Mike Salekin (Castlegar, B.C.) picked up an unassisted marker on the power play, his sixth of the year, to tie things up. It was an ill-timed penalty taken by the Purple Eagles that sealed the deal, as McConnachie found the twine with just six seconds left on the clock to give the Chargers a 4-3 victory.

The other story was senior netminder Scott Munroe (Moose Jaw, Sask.), who on a routine save off a Ted Cook shot at 14:11 of the first period. On any other night it would have been just another stoppage in play. However, Friday night it marked a new record holder, as Scott Munroe's 2,447th save placed him at the top of the career saves list at UAH. Munroe took four fewer games to match the feat, now with 2,477 saves in 89 games. All told, Munroe stopped 40 of 43 Purple Eagle shots to run his record to 10-5-1 this season.

The win is their third in a row in Dwyer Arena, and just their fourth ever over the Purple Eagles on the road. The Chargers now sit at 7-2-0 in conference play and 11-7-1 overall. They have won five consecutive games for the first time since rattling off nine straight during the 2002-03 season.

The teams will conclude their regular season series Saturday afternoon with a 1:05 p.m. matinee start. UAH returns home Feb. 3 to host CHA rival Bemidji State.

UAH-Niagara Box Score