Box Score Mankato, Minn. - Junior Brianna Delaney (Stittsville, Ontario / NCCP Raiders) assisted on the game-tying goal before scoring the game-winner herself to lead the Robert Morris University women's hockey team to a 2-1 victory at Minnesota State Friday evening at All Seasons Arena.
With the two points, Delaney moved into second place on the all-time RMU points list as her career total of 76 is now second only to senior assistant captain Sara O'Malley (Guelph, Ontario / Hamilton Hawks). O'Malley made sure her teammate wasn't able to make up ground that easily as she increased her record total Friday by scoring the Colonials' first goal of the game.
Delaney, who collected her fourth multi-point game of the season, is also now just one assist shy of tying the all-time Robert Morris record (41) in that category.
Robert Morris was put in a tough spot relatively early on as a pair of Colonials were given penalties just 13 seconds apart, giving the Mavericks a 1:47 5-on-3 power play fewer than 10 minutes into the game. RMU was able to orchestrate a huge penalty kill, though, helped in part by three saves from netminder Kristen DiCiocco (Niagara Falls, Ontario / Stoney Creek Jr. Sabres) during the two-man advantage and an additional stop after the first penalty had ended. This successful shorthanded play by RMU helped ensure that the teams skated into the first intermission still scoreless.
Minnesota State, who has won three games over nationally-ranked teams this season, did not waste too much time in taking the lead in the second stanza. Kathleen Rogan put the Mavericks ahead at the 6:28 mark of the second as Lauren Smith and Erica Magnusson tallied the assists.
It did not take long for RMU to respond as O'Malley scored just past the game's midway point to even the score. O'Malley now leads the team in both goals (7) and points (14) and has registered 12 points in her last 12 games overall. Neither team was able to add a go-ahead goal in the middle frame, and the squads were tied 1-1 after 40 minutes of play. It marked the Colonials' third consecutive game that they have entered both the first and second intermissions tied with their opponent.
After a few early third-period shot attempts went wide of the mark by RMU, Delaney was able to find the right combination and recorded an unassisted goal at the 2:34 mark that put Robert Morris ahead for good.
The Mavericks had some chances to tie the score, but DiCiocco and the Colonial defense were up to the task. DiCiocco saved four shots that could have tied the game and RMU blocked nine Minnesota State attempts after it took the lead, including three in the final minute alone when the Mavericks had an extra attacker, to preserve the Colonial lead and ensure victory.
DiCiocco made 19 saves to earn the victory in net. Delaney collected the fourth game-winning goal of her career.
RMU will look to sweep the series against Minnesota State when the teams take the ice in a rematch at 4:07 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
