With two matchups against Bowling Green over the weekend, there wasn't enough time to share all the terrific images and videos from
Robert Morris University's
first outdoor hockey game Saturday in Toledo.
Before we move on to further action this season, let's take one final look back at what was a memorable event.
The Colonials made the trip to northwest Ohio on Friday, arriving in time for a late-afternoon practice at Fifth Third Field, the home of Triple-A baseball's Toledo Mudhens. After unloading equipment in the visiting clubhouse, the team made its way out onto the field as Bowling Green was running drills:
After scoping out the setup, the Colonials headed to the ice in pristine weather conditions: cold and dry. Unfortunately, the two teams couldn't simply play the game then, as rain was in the forecast for Saturday.
At any rate, following a quick team shot in the first-base dugout, RMU went about the business of
preparing for the game. (Let's not forget
about the eye black!) As the sun went down and the ballpark lights turned on, the ice almost seemed to glow as the Colonials ran through drills with a
few spectators looking on. Here are a few shots from
BGSUHockey.com photographer Todd Pavlack, who helped chronicle the two-day experience for us:
RMU-TV was also on hand to shoot a documentary of the Winterfest scene, and part of that included talking to players and coaches after the practice session. Here, junior defenseman
Tyson Wilson gets the Hollywood treatment: Overnight into Saturday, freezing rain fell on the greater Toledo area, causing some concern over whether the game would be played as scheduled - or even if it would be played at all.
When the teams arrived at the field, the hard-working ice crew was not only preparing the ice surface, but also the glass: However, any nervousness about the status of the game dissipated after the ice specialists
reassured the coaches and officials that a steady rain would not be an issue in terms of cancelling the game. So, it was full stream ahead for the noon start time.
While head coach
Derek Schooley met with local TV for a pregame interview, the players were fully engaged in their usual preparations - albeit with a little more adrenaline involved than usual. Once 11:30 a.m. came around, it was time to test the ice.
By warmup, many of the 3,600 who attended were streaming their way into the ballpark. Here's what the rink looked like from the top deck of the two-tiered facility: The perspective was very different from inside the glass, where the Colonials and Falcons got a preview of how the puck would behave during the game: About a half hour later, it was time to play hockey. Although the teams took a few minutes to get acclimated to the conditions, the action picked up considerably in the second and third periods. More photos from Pavlack:
That last picture shows
Greg Gibson (center) and
Jeff Jones celebrating with their teammates after Gibson netted the first outdoor goal in RMU history at 8:58 of the third period. That tally cut the Bowling Green lead to 2-1, then freshman
Brady Ferguson popped in another less than two minutes later to force overtime.
Watch the full video highlights of the game here, courtesy of BCSN and the Bowling Green athletic department:
After making 24 saves in tricky visual conditions, RMU goalie
Terry Shafer called the game a "once-in-a-lifetime experience." It was tough to disagree, as the Colonials were soggy but satisfied with both the 2-2 tie with the 13th-ranked Falcons and the whole weekend.
(For more pictures from Toledo, check out the RMU hockey Twitter account's
media page.)
Finally, it was time to pack up the bus and say farewell...
