The Niagara Purple Eagles men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college ice hockey program that represents Niagara University. The Purple Eagles are members of Atlantic Hockey America. They play at the Dwyer Arena in Lewiston, New York.

History

After several years of playing at the club level, the team turned varsity in the 1996–97 season, which they played as independent. In 1999 they became charter members of College Hockey America (CHA), joining two other independent teams (Air Force and Army) and three former Division II teams (Alabama–Huntsville, Bemidji State and Findlay). Niagara went undefeated in conference play that season, 1999–00, winning the conference tournament and gaining an at-large invitation to the NCAA tournament, as the conference did not gain an automatic bid until the 2003 tournament. Starting goaltender Greg Gardner set a single-season NCAA record for shutouts with 12 as Niagara posted its first (and only as of 2019) 30-win campaign. The Purple Eagles upset the University of New Hampshire to advance to the Elite Eight, where they lost to North Dakota. North Dakota went on to win that national championship. Niagara also won the College Hockey America Championship in 2004 and 2008, appearing in the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship again those years. In 2004 they lost against Boston College and in 2008 against Michigan. On January 29, 2009, Niagara University announced that the team was moving to the Atlantic Hockey Association beginning in the 2010-11 season, following the closure of CHA's men's division. CHA would continue to operate as a women-only conference for the next 14 years. On October 14, 2010, it was announced that Jay McKee would serve as a volunteer assistant coach for Niagara Purple Eagles men's ice hockey, while not ruling out a return to the NHL. On December 14, 2013 the Purple Eagles faced off against the RIT Tigers in an outdoor hockey game known as Frozen Frontier tying 2-2. Shortly after the 2023–24 season, the Atlantic Hockey Association and CHA, which had shared a commissioner and conference staff since 2010, merged under the banner of Atlantic Hockey America.

Season-by-season results

Source:

Head coaches

As of the completion of 2022–23 season

NCAA tournament appearances

Statistical leaders

Source:

Career points leaders

Career goaltending leaders

GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average minimum 30 games played Statistics current through the end of the 2023–24 season.

Roster

As of August 26, 2024.

Awards and honors

NCAA

All-Americans

AHCA Second Team All-Americans

CHA

Individual awards

Player of the Year Rookie of the Year Most Valuable Player in Tournament Coach of the Year Three-Star Player of the Year Student-Athlete of the Year

All-Conference teams

First Team All-CHA Second Team All-CHA All-CHA Rookie Team

Atlantic Hockey

Individual awards

Player of the Year Rookie of the Year Regular Season Goaltending Award Regular Season Scoring Trophy Coach of the Year Most Valuable Player in Tournament

All-Conference teams

First Team All-Atlantic Hockey Second Team All-Atlantic Hockey Third Team All-Atlantic Hockey Atlantic Hockey All-Rookie Team

Niagara Purple Eagles Hall of Fame

The following is a list of people associated with the men's ice hockey program who were elected into the Niagara Purple Eagles Hall of Fame (induction date in parentheses).

Purple Eagles in the NHL

As of July 1, 2024. Source: