Niagara men’s hockey alum Sean Bentivoglio (2003-07) has signed a one-year deal to play for the Augsburger Panthers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in Germany.

Bentivoglio spent the last three seasons playing for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League, appearing in one National Hockey League contest for the parent team, the New York Islanders on April 2, 2009. In 241 career AHL games split between the Providence Bruins and the Sound Tigers, the Ontario native notched 44 goals, 79 assists and 123 points. The former Purple Eagle is coming off of a career year, where he scored 19 goals, 26 assists and 45 points in 80 games for Bridgeport.

As a Purple Eagle, Bentivoglio was one of the best players ever to don the purple and white. The standout forward scored 43 goals, 89 assists and 132 points in 145 games at Niagara, including a trip to the 2004 NCAA Tournament as the CHA Tournament Champion. Bentivoglio’s numbers still stand tall in the Niagara career record books, as he is currently seventh in points and tied for second in assists (89).

Bentivoglio is following in the footsteps of another former Purple Eagle in Matt Ryan (2001-03), who has played for the Panthers for the last two seasons. Like Bentivoglio, Ryan played 12 games in the NHL with the L.A. Kings before eventually heading overseas.