Keep Climbing: Robert Morris Looks to Build Momentum
By Mike Prisuta
www.rmucolonials.com
Jan. 13, 2010
Prisuta On Pucks Link
Pittsburgh, Pa. - As the near-misses mounted Derek Schooley bemoaned the missing pieces that would invariably betray his Colonials from one weekend to the next, a lack of timely offense, or tight defensive-zone coverage, or consistent goaltending, or reliable penalty killing (especially reliable penalty killing).
But even as the overall record dipped to a frustrating 3-12-3 Schooley never doubted the potential of his team.
“I'd said it numerous times, I liked our hockey team,” Schooley said. “I just didn't like our record.
“It was a matter of putting it together. We put it together at the right time.”
The Colonials put it all together in their 3-1, 2-1 home-and-home sweep of then-No. 1 Miami, Ohio last weekend.
The first two games against a No. 1-ranked opponent in Robert Morris' six-year Division I history resulted in victories because there were no holes in the Colonials' game this time, no weak links. They were opportunistic in the offense end, sound in the defensive zone and superior on special teams all weekend. They also got championship-caliber goaltending from Brooks Ostergard.
Another factor was confidence. Just as their coach had maintained faith in the players, the Colonials continued to believe in themselves.
“I think we all believed since Day One that we were a very good hockey team and it was only a matter of time before we got the result we got (last) weekend,” Ostergard said. “It came from the coaching staff and the captains telling us to stay focused and be patient and it'll come.”
Close-but-no-cigar decisions against NCAA heavyweights Ferris State (5-4 in OT), Bemidji State (2-0 including an empty-net goal) and Colorado College (4-3), all of which are ranked in this week's Top 11 according to USCHO.com, tested that belief but didn't shake it.
“It does frustrate you,” senior defenseman and RMU captain Dave Cowan said. “Nobody likes to lose, especially the guys on our team as close as we are and as competitive as we are.
“Losing games like that pushes you harder in practice to get better and put you over that hump and eventually win those games. We believe we're capable of great things and that showed this past weekend.”
The two wins over Miami upped Robert Morris' record when facing off against ranked teams to 3-6 (the Colonials are 3-7 against teams ranked in this week's Top 20).
The Miami series might not have been Robert Morris' declaration of independence, but it was certainly a coming-out party for a Colonials program that has for the most part been ignored by media nationally and locally.
“In the last two weeks, leading up to the games and after the two games I've done more media than I probably had done in our first five years combined,” Schooley said. “I think a lot of it had to do with the No. 1 team in the nation coming in, and then what we did to the No. 1 team on Friday and then following it up and validating it on Sunday.
“A lot of it had to do with the Steelers being done, too.”
The Colonials (5-12-3 overall, 1-4-2 CHA) can continue to demand media attention during an upcoming series against CHA rival Alabama-Huntsville (7:05 Friday and Saturday nights at the Island Sports Center).
The Chargers (5-11-2 overall, 1-4-1 CHA) took three of four points from Robert Morris during a series on Dec. 4-5 at Neville Island (a 2-2 tie and a 4-2 UAH triumph).
“We gotta give Alabama-Huntsville what they deserve after what they did to us in our building,” Ostergard said. “We're trying to stay focused and ready for them this weekend.”
