Published: October 03, 2008 01:09 am      

WOMEN'S HOCKEY: Niagara opens with No. 1 Duluth at Dwyer

LEWISTON — So much for cashing in favors. Since the Niagara University women’s hockey team traveled to Minnesota-Duluth and New Hampshire in recent years, head coach Margot Page knew she’d get a chance to welcome both of the storied programs to Dwyer Arena this year.

Little did she know they’d be the first four games on our schedule — or that Duluth would be both the reigning national champ and the No. 1 team in the nation heading into the contest.

“They gave me the only dates they could play on,” Page said, “And I realized: Wow, either we find out right away that we have a lot to work on, or we can see that we’re pretty close to where we want to be.”

Niagara hosts the reigning champs tonight, opening the college hockey season at Dwyer Arena. The two teams will battle again on Saturday. The schedule doesn’t get much easier when Duluth leaves, though — Niagara hosts No. 5 New Hampshire in a two-game set next weekend.

“I think it’s going to be exciting,” said senior Ashley Riggs, who finished last season with 22 goals and 12 assists. “We’ve never opened the season with teams like this, at least as long as I’ve been here.”

While the Purple Eagles will try to humbly build on a few victories in last season’s final month, the visiting Bulldogs bring a well-oiled machine to Dwyer. Coach Shannon Miller’s team has been to the Frozen Four nine times in her 10 seasons, winning the crown four times. Her overall record is 234-61-25.

Niagara counters with nine new players and a goaltending situation that leaves plenty to be desired. After finishing dead last in the country in goals against last season, Page has opened up the competition to four goalies with three — Nikki Rudy, Amanda Rowe and Jenni Bauer — all seeing time in last week’s 7-3 exhibition loss to Wilfrid Laurier.

“We had to do something,” Page said. “We debated about it, but realized we had to bring someone in.”

Duluth responds with all-American netminder Kim Martin, whose last game played earned her MVP honors for the Frozen Four. Also, Duluth boasts sophomore Haley Irwin, who was the Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s leading scorer last year.

Can the Purple Eagles stay close? It’s not unprecedented. The last the two teams met, in January of 2007, Niagara raced out to a 2-0 lead in the opener before settling for a 3-3 tie. In the second game, Niagara dropped a 2-1 heartbreaker.

Riggs believes in a core that includes Melanie Mills, Emilie Castonguay, and Rachel Hauser, all of whom are 23 or older. With experience and wisdom, Riggs thinks her team can keep its composure, even in the face of the nation’s most powerful program.

“We’ve got great chemistry with this team,” Riggs said. “I really think the way we get along on and off the ice is special.”

Contact sports editor Tim Schmitt at 282-2311, ext. 2266.



GAME NIGHT

• WHO: No. 1 Minnesota-Duluth at Niagara

• WHAT: Women’s hockey

• WHEN: 7 p.m., tonight; 7 p.m., Sat.

• WHERE: Dwyer Arena

• NOTES: NU played well against Duluth last season, tying their first contest, then fell by a 2-1 count in the second game. ... The goaltending situation for the Purple Eagles is dicey — NU has four goalies vying for time. ... NU is 8-17-7 all-time against teams from the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.