LEWISTON — Looks like the tough non-conference schedule the Niagara men’s hockey team played in preparation for its final run through College Hockey America offered the wrong type of education.

Much like they have in taxing losses to highly ranked opponents, the Purple Eagles hung tough with visiting Robert Morris in their league opener at Dwyer Arena on Friday, but Niagara again failed to close the deal, dropping a 5-3 decision before 815 fans.

Chris Kushneriuk’s third-period goal — which gave the junior winger his first-ever hat trick — proved the difference for Robert Morris (3-6-0 overall, 1-2-0 CHA), coming after a rally that got the hosts back to even from a 3-1 count.

Freshman Andrew Hare got the start in net and gave up a goal in the first minute as Kushneriuk’s first shot of the game caromed off a defenseman and into the net.

“It’s got to stop,” NU coach Dave Burkholder said of another slow start and even slower finish. “It’s not the start of the game I’m sure that (Hare) wanted, but we’ve got to be a lot tougher mentally and fight through that. We need to be a lot better. They were a better team five-on-five, more energy, more spirit. They scored goals five-on-five and we didn’t.”

The one silver lining for Niagara (0-8-1, 0-1-0) is that a struggling power play finally struck for a pair of goals, but Burkholder was critical of the top line of Chris Moran, Ryan Olidis and Egor Mironov, even though Moran and Olidis both scored with the extra man.

“Their line was good on the power play, but they didn’t do anything five- on-five for us,” Burkholder said. “If they want to hang their hat on two power-play goals, that’s great, but it’s not enough to win hockey games. It doesn’t matter who you play.”

Moran’s goal was his first of the season, a surprising stat for an all-CHA preseason pick. He scored from Olidis and Mironov to pull Niagara even.

But Nick Chiavetta and Kushneriuk followed with goals to give Robert Morris a 3-1 edge midway through the second period.

That’s when a lengthy delay due to a crack along the boards helped the home team. Soon after, Niagara rebounded with a huge goal as Olidis rang a shot from a tough angle down low that hit the inside of the post and bounced past Robert Morris goalie Brooks Ostergard. The power-play marker came with just 47 seconds left in the period and gave the Purple Eagles some momentum.

Freshman Brent Vandenburg got the equalizer early in the third, roofing a backhand that beat Ostergard.

But that was the extent of Niagara’s scoring, and Kushneriuk’s third goal of the night gave the Colonials the edge again.

“We came out and battled. That was the theme,” Robert Morris coach Derek Schooley said. “Minus a few minutes in the second when they had a little momentum, I think we did a good job. We worked hard and did the simple things. We advanced pucks and at times, we outworked them. That’s good hockey.

“That’s what you have to do to win in this building.”

Scott Kobialko added an insurance tally for the visitors, who host Niagara tonight in Pittsburgh.

Olidis, a senior captain, admitted that the locker room following the loss was somber, not surprising considering the fact the Purple Eagles — who opened the season getting votes in the USCHO.com top 20 poll — will enter their 10th game tonight without a win.

“It’s pretty rough right now,” he said. “We showed up for bits and pieces, and that’s not good enough, obviously. We picked it up in the second, once we got in their zone. But in the third period, we just didn’t have it again.”

Burkholder is hoping another goalie change, although he wouldn’t specify whether Adam Avramenko or Chris Noonan would get the start tonight, will help Niagara finally secure its first victory.

“I was a little sarcastic, and a little negative,” he said of his post-game speech to the team.

“But geez, it’s comical how badly some of our top guys are playing.”

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



GAME NIGHT

Niagara at Robert Morris

• WHAT: Men’s Hockey

• WHEN: 7:05 p.m.

• WHERE: Clearview Arena, Pittsburgh

• RADIO: 1440 AM

• NOTES: Niagara has yet to win in nine starts, dropping to 0-8-1 with Friday’s 5-3 loss in the first game of this home-and-home series. ... Chris Moran got his first goal of the season on Friday, and leads the team with seven assists. ... Paul Zanette and Dan Weiss are tied with a team-worst minus-7.