Pittsburgh, Pa. – After a week off, the Robert Morris University men's hockey team took some time to find its rhythm Friday night at 84 Lumber Arena.

But despite a disjointed start, the No. 17 Colonials rallied from a pair of two-goal deficits to earn a 3-3 tie against Atlantic Hockey rival Air Force, keeping their undefeated run alive.

Junior David Friedmann recorded his first collegiate two-goal game to start the comeback and classmate Zac Lynch netted the equalizer in the third period, boosting RMU to 7-0-2 on the season. The Colonials - 5-0-1 on home ice - have now matched their program-record nine-game unbeaten streak of last winter.

"I think we just had to settle down," said junior defenseman Evan Moore. "We were running around a bit, doing things that aren't like us. We had to get back to doing the things that got us on the (unbeaten) streak to begin with."

The Colonials followed an unfamiliar formula to gain the tie, as they trailed after the first and second periods for the first time all season. They also allowed the first goal for just the third time, another habit they would rather avoid in the future.

"It took us a period to get back into it, but we got there," said Friedmann, who now has three goals on the season. "We can't continue to play from behind, but obviously we worked hard when we were losing to get back in it."

RMU controlled play for much of the final 35 minutes or so, mounting a 15-6 shot advantage in the third and a 3-0 edge in the sudden-death overtime. The Colonials possessed the puck impressively in the extra frame, threatening to grab their eighth win in nine games.

"I thought we started playing down low and establishing a forecheck in the third period and overtime," head coach Derek Schooley said. "We were putting pucks behind them and cycling. We were in and out of the (offensive) zone too much in the first two periods, one shot and out."

A victory wasn't in the cards Friday, but the Colonials will get another shot at win No. 8 Saturday against Air Force. Junior goalie Terry Shafer presided over his second tie of the season, as his 30-save night included a handful of impressive stops during a late Falcons power play.

Daniel Leavens and Brady Ferguson each had two assists skating alongside Friedmann, who scored twice in the span of three shots in the second period to help RMU keep pace with speedy Air Force.

"We did the little things right," Friedmann said of his line. "We didn't really play in our zone because we chipped the puck out and played a good 200-foot game. We had a lot of chances based on our hard work (in the defensive zone)."

The Colonials took the ice as a nationally-ranked team for the first time in nearly two calendar years, but Air Force (2-6-2, 2-2-1 AHC) had the better of play and carried a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. The Falcons surged ahead when Scott Holm deposited the rebound of Chad Demers' one timer from the slot. The play started when Cole Gunner stole the puck deep in the Colonials' zone and centered to Demers.

Robert Morris had two power plays in the opening frame, while Air Force had three, but neither side could capitalize. Demers came the closest for the Falcons, gunning a shot from the bottom edge of the right circle wide of the net in the final 10 seconds of the period.

Scott Jacklin and Lynch had two shots apiece in the first, as the Colonials' top line showed a late spark. However, it was the trio of Ferguson, Friedmann and Leavens that got RMU rolling in the second period.

After Phil Boje netted a power-play goal from the right point to put Air Force ahead 2-0 just 1:19 into the period, the Colonials went to work on the comeback. They nearly got a shorthanded goal when Brandon Denham connected with Spencer Dorowicz in front, but Air Force goalie Chris Truehl (33 saves) shut the door with a pair of point-blank stops.

Truehl couldn't deny Friedmann, though, as he drove the net to deflect the rebound of Ferguson's backhand shot into the goal at 11:12. It was Friedmann's first goal since the season's opening weekend.

"Offensively I haven't been producing as much as I want to, but it's starting to come," he said. "I'm doing the little things, chipping the puck in, blocking shots, finishing my checks. It's a long season…I have a good feeling about the rest of it."

The Colonials put together several strong shifts from there, but Air Force's Mike McDonald restored the two-goal margin by finishing Jordan Himley's sharp pass at 14:39. Instead of sagging, RMU struck back immediately, with Friedmann sliding Leavens' one-handed backhand pass under Truehl just nine seconds after McDonald's goal.

"They went to the net," Schooley said of Friedmann's line. "Those are big-time goals he scored. Hat's off to them for getting that huge goal nine seconds after we get scored on."

The 3-2 score held until the second intermission, with the Colonials seemingly ready to take command in the third.

They did just that, with Lynch's third goal in two games knotting the score at 7:23. Moore lofted the puck off the neutral-zone glass, where Lynch snatched it in full flight on a 2-on-1 rush with Cody Wydo. Lynch's cross-ice feed was blocked, so he re-gathered the puck and snapped a hard shot into the roof of the net.

"All week we talked about advancing pucks and really pressuring their 'D' and their goalie," Moore said. "If we play the way we did in the third period, we'll have success. They're a quick team, but so are we."

Wydo had an opportunity to stretch his scoring streak to nine games when he picked the pocket of an Air Force defender late in regulation, but the Colonials' all-time leading goal-scorer couldn't jam it past Truehl. Wydo, who had a game-high eight shots on goal, continues to pace RMU with 13 points (6g, 7a) this season.

RMU remains in first place in the AHC with a league record of 5-0-2. The rematch with Air Force is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Saturday, as Men's Cancer Awareness Weekend at 84 Lumber Arena concludes with a Skate with the Colonials postgame event.