Senior captain Mason Waite scored with 12.6 seconds in regulation and Tomáš Mazura put on the finishing touches scoring in overtime to lift the St. Lawrence University men's hockey team to a 4-3 win over Niagara on Friday night in Appleton Arena.

The Skating Saints improved to 3-1-0 with the win, while the Purple Eagles fell to 0-2-0.

The first period of the contest was a choppy one with both sides struggling to find their footing. The offense got started around the seven-minute mark with the Saints getting six shots off in two minutes and earning a power play.

However, it was the Purple Eagles that scored on the chance as Shane Ott scored shorthanded to give his team the lead. It looked as if the Saints had tied the game in the first with a goal from Drake Burgin, but the goal was waved off for offsides.



The second period was a stronger one for the Scarlet and Brown, who tied the game two minutes and 15 seconds into the middle frame. Isack Bandu had the puck at the point and found first-year Gabe Westling, who let a shot go towards the goal. The shot was tipped in front by Will Arquiett and past Deivs Rolovs to knot the game at one apiece.

The Saints would sustain heavy pressure throughout the period as they rode the momentum and scored in a similar fashion in the late stages of the period. This time it was Mazura, who found Evan Orloff at the point for the Saints. The first-year gathered and ripped a shot that was deflected by Greg Lapointe and in to give St. Lawrence the lead.

Orloff would celebrate his first career point on the play earning the primary assist.

The lead would not last long however as Niagara's Spencer Young beat a defender around the corner and slid one past Mason Kucenski to make it a tie game at the break.

The two teams would trade chances in the third with Kucenski and Rolovs going toe-to-toe with big saves. Unfortunately for the Saints, a penalty tilted the game in favor of the Eagles as Hoskin regained the Niagara lead with a man-advantage tally.

The Scarlet and Brown would eventually pull the goaltender for an extra skater in the dying minutes and began their assault on the net. With 17 ticks left on the clock, Mazura tied up his man on the draw and the puck was poked to the centerman by Ty Naaykens. Mazura laced a pass over to Waite, who one-timed the equalizer home sending Appleton into a frenzy, and the game into overtime.

Niagara would possess the puck early in the extra period but did not pose much of a threat on the St. Lawrence goal.

The Saints gained possession and slowed the play down for a change as Lapointe found Mazura. The senior charged up ice went through three defenders and fired a backhand shot that beat Rolovs five-hole to give the Skating Saints the 4-3 win in overtime.

Mazura finished his big game with a goal and two assists to help secure the victory.

Kucenski stopped 23 shots in the St. Lawrence net, while Rolovs made 28 saves in his collegiate debut.

St. Lawrence held the advantage over the Purple Eagles in the contest 32-26. Niagara won the special teams battle however going 1-for-2 on the power play with a shorthanded goal, while the Saints went 0-for-4 on the man-advantage.

The Skating Saints will wrap up their six-game home stand next weekend as the team hosts Ferris State for two games on Friday and Saturday.