NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara Purple Eagles hockey team announced on Thursday the schedule for the upcoming 2017-18 season, the 22nd season in program history and the eighth as a member of Atlantic Hockey.
 
The 34-game regular-season schedule features 15 contests at Dwyer Arena, including non-conference games against RPI (Oct. 20) and Union (Oct. 21) as well as a pair of Battle of the Bridge contests against Canisius on Dec. 8 and Feb. 24. The Purple Eagles also face Colgate, Cornell, and Ohio State on the road to round out the non-conference slate. In Atlantic Hockey play, Niagara has four games against the Air Force, Army, Canisius, and Sacred Heart.
 
The Purple Eagles open the season at Colgate University with a 4 p.m. matchup on Saturday Sep. 30 before a lengthy home stretch with seven out of the next nine games at Dwyer Arena. Niagara's home opener comes on Alumni Weekend as the Purple Eagles welcome the Robert Morris Colonials at 7:05 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 6. Following a week off, Niagara will host the RPI Engineers and Union Dutchmen on at 7:05 p.m. on Oct. 20 and 21, respectively.

VIEW THE FULL 2017-18 NIAGARA HOCKEY SCHEDULE HERE
 
After closing out October back in conference play at Sacred Heart on Oct. 27 and 28, Niagara starts a four-game home stand with two against the Bentley Falcons on Nov. 3 and 4. The following weekend, the Army Black Knights travel to Dwyer Arena for a pair of 7:05 p.m. matchups, opening the weekend on Friday, Nov. 10 before concluding the weekend with a Veteran's Day matchup on Saturday, Nov. 11.
 
A five-game road trip starts for the Purple Eagles at ECAC opponent Cornell on Tuesday, Nov. 21. Niagara then travels to AIC on Thanksgiving weekend before flying out to Colorado for the first two of four games against defending Atlantic Hockey champion Air Force on Dec. 1 and 2. To wrap up the 2017 side of the schedule, Niagara starts the four-game Battle of the Bridge series against Canisius at Dwyer Arena on Friday, Dec. 8 before the series shifts to the HARBORCENTER in Buffalo the next night.
 
After the holiday break, Niagara heads to Ohio State University for two games on Dec. 29 and 30 to conclude the non-conference schedule. Conference play heats up in the new year beginning with a pair of home matchups against the RIT Tigers on Jan. 5 and 6, the first since Niagara defeated the two-time defending champions in last year's Atlantic Hockey playoffs.
 
Following the second of two home games against Robert Morris on Tuesday, Jan. 9, Niagara hits the road for four straight games at Mercyhurst (Jan. 12 and 13) and Holy Cross (Jan. 19 and 20). Niagara then concludes its four-game season series with the military academies, hosting Air Force to close out January before starting February at West Point against Army.
 
Three of the final four games of February come at Dwyer Arena. Niagara hosts Sacred Heart on Feb. 9 and 10, and after a late week off, two more Battle of the Bridge contests cap off the regular season, as the Purple Eagles and Canisius Golden Griffins square off in Buffalo on Friday, Feb. 23 before the regular-season finale at Niagara on Saturday, Feb. 24.
 
The Atlantic Hockey postseason begins with best-of-three series in the first round (March 2-4) and quarterfinals (March 9-11). The final four times will advance to a single-elimination semifinal at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, N.Y. on Friday, March 16 before the conference championship on Saturday, March 17.
 
2017-18 season tickets are now on sale through the Niagara University ticket office. For ticket information, call (716) 286-TIXX (8499), email tickets@niagara.edu, or visit www.PurpleEagles.com/Tickets. 
 
Niagara heads into its first season under Jason Lammers, who was announced as the third head coach in program history on April 24. He will be joined by assistant coaches Andy Boschetto and Matt Nicholson. The Purple Eagles retain over 75 percent of their total scoring from last season, highlighted by leading scorers Stanislav Dzakhov (17 points), Kris Spriggs (16), and Johnny Curran and Noah Delmas (15). Co-captains Keegan Harper and Derian Plouffe join Dzakhov and Grand Island native Larry Smith in the 2017-18 senior class.
 
Stay connected with the Purple Eagles through social media. Follow Niagara Athletics on Twitter @NUPurpleEagles and for hockey updates, follow Niagara hockey on Twitter and Instagram. Check in with the Purple Eagles on Facebook.com/PurpleEagles and on Instagram @NUPurpleEagles.