Princeton, N.J. / Hobey Baker Memorial Rink - The Robert Morris University men's hockey team ended a three-game losing skid and their six-game road trip with a 3-1 win at Princeton University Monday night. Junior forward Ryan Cruthers (Farmingdale, N.Y. / Army) scored two third-period power play goals to lift the Colonials to 9-13-1 on the year. Princeton falls to 9-10-2. Robert Morris ends their six-game road trip with a 3-3 mark after a promising 4-2 win over then #2 Notre Dame to open the trip. The Colonials have now beat the Tigers in both of their meetings, once at home and once on the road.
Both goaltenders ? junior Christian Boucher (Orleans, Ontario / Cumberland Grads) for MRU and Zane Kalemba for Princeton ? kept the puck out of the net for the first 39:30 of the game. Lee Jubinville broke the scoreless tie with 30 seconds left in the second period getting his seventh goal of the year with help from Darroll Powe and Mark Magnowski.
The Colonials would not score until 7:01 of the third period, but then exploded for three goals in 7:32. Junior forward Sean Berkstresser (Apollo, Pa. / Pittsburgh Forge) scored his second of the year on senior Aaron Clarke's (Peterborough, Ontario / Niagara University) 12th assist of the season.
Cruthers and the RMU power play took over from there. The junior scored his fifth of the season with a two-man advantage at 13:48 of the third period. Junior defenseman Chris Kaufman (Gig Harbor, Wash. / Helena Bighorns) and junior forward David Boguslawski (Cottage Grove, Minn. / Tri-City Storm) earned the assists on the go-ahead score.
Just 45 seconds later, Cruthers put the game away with a five-on-four power play marker and took over the team scoring lead with his 21st point of the year. Berkstresser, who finished the night with a goal and an assist, had the first helper along with sophomore defenseman Jake Obermeyer (Chanhassen, Minn. / Tri-City Storm).
Boucher finished with 31 saves, including 13 in the third period for the win. Robert Morris was held to just six third period shots, but three found their way past Princeton starting netminder Zane Kalemba who finished with 24 saves. The Colonials were 2-6 on the power play while holding the Tigers scoreless on seven chances.
Robert Morris returns to the RMU Island Sports Center for the first time since December 30 when they host Niagara in a College Hockey America series Friday and Saturday, February 2 and 3.
