Pittsburgh, Pa. / Island Sports Center - The Robert Morris University men's hockey team snapped a three-game losing skid with a 4-2 win in their College Hockey America opener and home opener against Niagara University at the RMU Island Sports Center Friday night. The Colonials, now 2-3-0 and 1-0-0 in the CHA, also snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Purple Eagles (3-5-1, 1-1-1 CHA) with the win.
Senior Aaron Clarke (Peterborough, Ontario / Niagara University), a transfer from Niagara University, had a goal and assist for the Colonials. Senior Doug Conley (East Amherst, N.Y. / Tri-City Storm), also a Niagara transfer, picked up two asssists.
Robert Morris got on the board first when sophomore Jason Towsley (Lasalle, Ontario / Leamington Flyers) buried a rebound from a shot by junior Joel Gasper (Crookston, Minn. / Billings Bulls). Junior Chris Kaufman (Gig Harbor, Wash. / Helena Bighorns) started the play out of the defensive end where Gasper and Towsley crossed paths. Gasper fired from the right side and Towsley found the rebound on the left edge of the crease.
Niagara responded three minutes later as Sean Bentivoglio forced a turnover in the RMU end. Ted Cook picked up the loose puck and fed it left across the slot where Les Reaney picked it up and beat sophomore goaltender Christian Boucher (Orleans, Ontario / Cumberland Grads) under his stick shoulder.
Robert Morris took control of the contest with three second period goals. Junior David Boguslawski (Cottage Grove, Minn. / Tri-City Storm) gave Robert Morris a 2-1 lead with a shorthanded goal three minutes into the second stanza.
Clarke stretched the margin to 3-1 just 1:46 later. Conley started the Colonials out of the own end feeding the puck ahead to junior Rob Cowan (Calgary, Alberta / Olds Grizzlys) who tipped the pass ahead to Clarke. Clarke put away the rebound from his own shot for the score.
Junior Ryan Cruthers (Farmingdale, N.Y. / Army) made it 4-1 as Conley forced a Niagara turnover in the offensive end. Clarke picked up the loose puck and fed Cruthers who was waiting on the doorstep at 18:09.
Niagara held a 16-6 shot advantage and had the only goal in the final period. Matt Caruana sat on the right side of the net and finished off a pass from Sean Bentivoglio at 9:44. Les Reaney also picked up an assist on the score. The Purple Eagles skated the final 3:03 without an extra attacker, but couldn't cut the lead by any more than two.
Boucher finished with 34 saves while Juliano Pagliero stopped 33 shots for Niagara. The Colonials held a slim 37-36 advantage in shots. Neither team scored on the power-play as Niagara had nine opportunities and the Colonials had six.
These two teams meet again Saturday, November 4, at 7:35 p.m. at the RMU Island Sports Center.
