Pittsburgh, Pa. / RMU Island Sports Center - The Robert Morris University men's hockey team returned to action after a 18-day hiatus playing to a 2-2 tie with Merrimack at the RMU Island Sports Center Friday night. Robert Morris took a 2-1 lead after falling behind 1-0, but succumbed to late Merrimack goal in a 2-2 tie. The game was the first overtime contest of the season for the Colonials who are now 5-9-1. The Warriors move to 2-12-2.
Merrimack got on the board first late in the opening period with a power play goal by Mike Alexiou. Derek Pallardy fed the puck in front to Matt Byrnes who's shot on net was stopped by RMU junior goaltender Christian Boucher (Orlenas, Ontario / Cumberland Grads). After a scramble in front of the net, Alexiou got his stick on the puck and found to top of the net at 19:04.
The Colonials, who were outshot 12-7 in the first period, tied the game 5:35 into the second period. Junior David Boguslawski (Cottage Grove, Minn. / Tri-City Storm) put away a rebound after a shot on net by senior Doug Conley (East. Amherst, N.Y. / Tri-City Storm). Junior Chris Margott (Thousand Oaks, Calif. / Bay State Breakers) also had an assist on the goal.
Robert Morris took the lead 2:48 into the third period on junior defenseman Chris Kaufman's (Gig Harbor, Wash. / Helena Bighorns) fourth goal of the year. Kaufman also scored on a rebound goal, beating Warriors goaltender Patrick Watson to the left post. Juniors Jake Sparks (Evergreen, Colo. / Central Texas Blackhawks) and Sean Berkstresser (Apollo, Pa. / Pittsburgh Forge) picked up the assists.
Merrimack got the game-tying goal with 5:59 left in the third as Byrnes beat Boucher high to the glove side after a pass from Brian Boulay. The goal, Byrnes second of the season, capped the scoring at 2-2.
Robert Morris held the edge in shots on goal, 26-24, but failed to take advantage of six power play chances. The Warriors had one goal on their six power play tries. Boucher finished with 22 saves while Watson tallied 24.
These two teams meet again tomorrow, Saturday, December 30, at 8:05 p.m. at the RMU Island Sports Center.
