The play that led to the game-winning goal against Air Force wasn't one that Derek Schooley necessarily coaches.

It was one that Schooley might not even tolerate from a lot of players not named Nathan Longpre.

But with the game tied at 2-2 and time winding down and Longpre on the ice it was one worth trying to make.

In making it Longpre personified the attack-mode approach that has spearheaded a 4-0 start for Robert Morris, one that's generating national attention for the program and one that has the players hungry for even more.

Less than three minutes remained on Sunday night at the CONSOL Energy Center and Air Force was pressing the issue. Following a shot that missed the net the Falcons attempted to wrap the puck around the boards to the left point.

Longpre's defensive responsibility was the right point, but the wheels were already turning by then to considerations beyond the location of his man.

"I just anticipated the puck being missed around the boards," he said.

Translation: Longpre cheated to a certain degree and left the defensive zone early.

It was a calculated risk, to be certain. Schooley had repeatedly reminded the Colonials about the lively nature of the CONSOL boards and alerted them that such unforeseen occurrences were more likely in the NHL Penguins' new home.

And once the puck escaped the zone as anticipated Longpre was already off and running.

He caught up to it in the Air Force end just ahead of Falcons defenseman Mike Walsh (Longpre's defensive-zone assignment). From there Longpre lowered his shoulder to fend off Walsh's attempted check and then executed a backhand-to-forehand, cross-crease move that overwhelmed Air Force goaltender Jason Torf.

Cue the foghorn at CONSOL and chalk up another Robert Morris "W."

The Colonials had been "sloppy" in this 3-2 triumph, Schooley maintained, but the effort and energy were there. The cycling, the driving to the net, the determination to take the body and the sense of urgency on the rush, all were present throughout and all have been characteristics of the Colonials' thus far unbeaten march.

So has resiliency.

The climb from a 2-0 deficit against Air Force was started when Trevor Lewis refused to give up on the first period and found a way to jam the puck into the net off a goalmouth scramble at 19:59.

And the game was tied at 17:30 of the second after Denny Urban had his shot blocked but still had the presence to chase down the carom and feed Chris Kushneriuk.

Longpre's play at 17:39 of the third was simply more of the same.

These guys just keep coming, as evidenced by the Colonials having outscored their opponents in all four third periods this season (8-3 overall) along the way to that best-in-school-history 4-0 start.

"If you had told me we were going 4-0 I would have taken that," Schooley said. "Actually, in preseason, I would have said that if we were 3-0 and 2-2 going into the third to go 4-0 I would have taken that to see if we could find a way to get it done.

"And we did."

The Colonials have been doing that all season.

Longpre was simply the latest to do so.