Box Score Niagara, N.Y. - For the fourth time in its last five games, the Robert Morris University women's hockey team came back from a deficit to earn at least a point as the Colonials skated to a 1-1 draw at Niagara in College Hockey America (CHA) action Saturday afternoon at Dwyer Arena.
Frehsman Thea Imbrogno (Etobicoke, Ontario / Mississauga Jr. Chiefs) evened the game late in the second period with her second goal in as many days. She now has collected six points in the Colonials' five conference contests thus far.
Sophomore Dayna Newsom (Oakville, Ontario / Oakville Ice) assisted on Imbrogno's goal for the second consecutive day and now has provided a helper on four of Imbrogno's five scores this season.
Though it was forced to settle for the tie, Robert Morris held the advantage in shots on goal, 27-19, as Imbrogno led the charge with a game-high six. In addition to those 27 attempts, the Colonials had more than their share of near misses as three RMU shots clanged off the post during the course of the game.
RMU seemed to hold the edge in the first period as it outshot the Purple Eagles, 8-3, but was unable to grab the lead. The three shots conceded were the fewest for the Colonials in their last 48 regulation frames, dating to their Oct. 8 game against Ohio State.
Niagara received a power play early in the second and took advantage when Kristen Richards gave the Purple Eagles the lead at the 3:09 mark. Jessica Hitchcock and Erica Owczarczak collected the assists on the game's opening goal.
Robert Morris responded well as the Colonials fired 10 of the game's next 13 shots on net and nearly tied the contest when sophomore Kelsey Thomas's (Hamilton Ontario / Hamilton Hawks) attempt hit the iron. The pressure finally paid off when Imbrogno lit the lamp at the 16:47 mark to knot the game at one, and the teams skated into the intermission in a deadlock.
Robert Morris killed off a Niagara power-play chance early on in the third period and then nearly took the lead when senior assistant captain Sara O'Malley's (Guelph, Ontario / Hamilton Hawks) shot attempt was just off the mark and hit the post. The Purple Eagles were given another power play past the midway mark of the final stanza, but the Colonial penalty-kill unit was again up to the task as RMU blocked three Niagara shots in killing off the man advantage. Neither team could find another goal in regulation, and the teams headed to the extra session still tied, 1-1.
The Colonials were unable to get the break they needed in overtime to get the game-winner as another attempt by Thomas bounced off the post as Robert Morris was forced to settle for the tie.
Sophomore goaltender Kristen DiCiocco (Niagara Falls, Ontario / Stoney Creek Jr. Sabres) made 18 saves in net for RMU. In three of their last five games, the Colonials have allowed just a single goal.
In addition to having the edge in the shot department, RMU won 34 faceoffs to the Purple Eagles' 28.
Robert Morris will not play over the next 27 days as it takes time off over the holiday break. However, the Colonials are still only halfway through their program-record, eight-game road trip. They will next be in action Saturday, Jan. 8, and Sunday, Jan. 9, at Connecticut, the latter of which will be RMU's final non-conference game of the season.
