Moon Township, Pa. ? The Robert Morris University men's ice hockey team played to a, 2-2, draw with Ala.-Huntsville Saturday night at the RMU Island Sports Center. The Colonials conclude the regular-season with an overall record of 15-14-3 while recording a 10-7-3 record in College Hockey America action. The Chargers now stand at 6-20-4 overall and 3-13-4 in CHA play.
The Colonials took advantage of any and all momentum they gained from the pregame senior ceremony by jumping on top of the Chargers, 2-0, with a pair of goals just 19 seconds apart. Nathan Longpre (Peterborough, Ontario / Mahoning Valley Phantoms) got RMU on the board at the 8:43 mark poking a rebound past UAH goalie Blake MacNicol after a Tom Biondich (International Falls, Minn. / Wichita Falls Rustlers) shot. Logan Bittle (Peoria, Ill. / Soo Indians) recorded the second assist on the play. Ryan Cruthers (Farmingdale, N.Y. / Army) beat MacNicol five-hole at the 9:02 mark off of a tip pass from Sean Berkstresser (Apollo, Pa. / Pittsburgh Forge) with Andrew Bonello (Brampton, Ontario / Milton Icehawks) tallying the second assist. Kyle Goodchild got UAH on the board at the 16:10 mark making the score, 2-1, at the first intermission after he carried the puck the length of the ice and beat Christian Boucher (Orleans, Ontario / Cumberland Grads) high stick side.
After a scoreless second period and 17:47 of scoreless hockey in the third session, Ala.-Huntsville tied the game at two with a power-play goal by Matt Sweazey, his ninth of the season. Neither team could score in the five-minute overtime period allowing the game to end in a 2-2 tie.
Boucher made 27 saves on 29 shots for RMU in his final regular-season game at the Island Sports Center, while MacNicol stopped 36-of-38 shots RMU threw his way.
The Colonials head into the CHA tournament next weekend in Niagara University, N.Y. as the No. 3 seed and will take on host Niagara on Saturday, March 15 at 7:00 p.m.