Huntsville, Ala. / Von Braun Center - Junior forward Logan Bittle's (Peoria, Ill. / Soo Indians) first goal of the season could not have come at a more opportune time. His power play goal with 39 seconds left in regulation gave the Robert Morris University men's hockey team a 5-4 win over Ala.-Huntsville, snapping a three-game skid and giving the Colonials their first ever win at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Ala.
Huntsville (4-9-1, 2-5-0 College Hockey America) looked to have grabbed the game's momentum, scoring twice to erase a 4-2 deficit when Brett McConnachie scored the tying goal, his second of the night, at 15:50 of the third period.
Bittle, who also had two assists in the game, and the Colonials (5-8-0, 4-3-0 CHA) power play quickly stopped the momentum, however, in the game's final minute. Skating with the man advantage, Bittle's first goal of the season came with 39 seconds left in regulation giving Robert Morris the win, 5-4. The only assist on his goal came from junior Ryan Cruthers (Farmingdale, N.Y. / Army) sealing the team's first ever win in five tries at the Von Braun Center.
After Steve Canter gave Huntsville the lead just 79 seconds into the game, Robert Morris took control. Junior David Boguslawski (Cottage Grove, Minn. / Tri-City Storm) tied the game with a shorthanded score at 4:30. Junior Jake Sparks (Evergreen, Colo. / Central Texas Blackhawks) gave RMU the lead at 9:11. Bittle had the first assist on both goals while junior defenseman Jeff Gilbert (Barrie, Ontario / Aurora Tigers) had a helper on Sparks goal.
Robert Morris stretched the lead to 3-1 10:57 into the second period on Boguslawski's second of the night with assists by sophomore Jason Towsley (Lasalle, Ontario / Leamington Flyers) and Cruthers. Tyler Hilbert notched an unassisted goal for UAH to cut the margin to one, but senior Aaron Clarke (Peterborough, Ontario / Niagara University) regained the two-goal lead at 17:20 of the middle stanza. McConnachie's first of the night made it 4-3 heading to the third period as he scored with 40 seconds left in the frame.
The host Chargers held a 40-23 advantage in shots on goal, but junior goaltender Christian Boucher (Orleans, Ontario / Cumberland Grads) came up with 36 saves for the win. In his last three starts, Boucher has faced 42, 42, and 40 shots on goal. Marc Narduzzi had 18 saves for Huntsville. RMU was 2-7 on the power play while UAH went 1-9.
These two team's meet again Sunday, December 10, at 2:05 p.m. Central.
