2 0 1 1 . ▁ ▁On ▁a ▁team ▁level , ▁the ▁Pur ple ▁E ag les ' ▁ 2 0 1 0 – 1 1 ▁season ▁got ▁off ▁to ▁a ▁slow ▁start , ▁as ▁N U ▁was ▁just ▁ 3 – 1 2 – 3 ▁in ▁early ▁December . ▁Things ▁turned ▁around ▁a ▁little ▁from ▁there , ▁as ▁subsequent ▁un be aten ▁stre aks ▁of ▁six ▁games ▁and ▁four ▁games ▁helped ▁Ni ag ara ▁finish ▁second ▁in ▁the ▁College ▁Hockey ▁America ▁( CH A ) ▁stand ings ▁with ▁an ▁ 8 – 6 – 0 ▁league ▁record . ▁However , ▁third - se eded ▁Sy rac use ▁ab rupt ly ▁ended ▁the ▁Pur ple ▁E ag les ' ▁season ▁in ▁the ▁CH A ▁semif inals . ▁Rich ards , ▁for ▁her ▁part , ▁was ▁selected ▁to ▁the ▁CH A ' s ▁all - ro ok ie ▁team ▁in ▁recognition ▁of ▁her ▁strong ▁fresh man ▁season . ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 – 1 2 ▁season , ▁Ni ag ara ▁changed ▁coach es , ▁with ▁assistant ▁Josh ▁Sci ba ▁promoted ▁to ▁replace ▁the ▁depart ed ▁Chris ▁Mac K en zie . ▁Meanwhile , ▁Rich ards ▁had ▁quickly ▁become ▁considered ▁a ▁central ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁young ▁team ' s ▁off ense , ▁along ▁with ▁Jess ica ▁H itch cock ▁and ▁Jen na ▁Hend rik x . ▁Although ▁the ▁Pur ple ▁E ag les ▁started ▁the ▁year ▁ 0 – 4 – 0 , ▁things ▁ab rupt ly ▁turned ▁around ▁on ▁October