Niagara, N.Y. -  After suffering a difficult season-ending loss on Friday, the Robert Morris University hockey team was forced to regroup for the third-place consolation match at Dwyer Arena on the campus of Niagara University.  However the Colonials faced an unlikely opponent, top-seeded Bemidji State, after the Beavers were also bounced from the tournament in the first round. 

Much like Friday's contest, stellar goaltending from both sides stole the show early.  Freshman Eric Levine (Wheeling, Ill. / Pembroke Lumber Kings) got the nod in goal for the Colonials as he made 33 saves in his first starting appearance since Jan. 22 at Colgate.

Almost thirteen minutes into the first period, Bemidji State's Ryan Cramer put the Beavers out in front with his power play goal at 12:29.

But for nearly the next 35 minutes, neither team would score despite seeing a combined total of five power plays.  At the end of the quiet second period, shots were 24-13 for Bemidji State.

Finally, the Robert Morris offense broke the scoring drought as senior J.C. Velasquez (Clarkson, Mich. / Green Bay Gamblers) knotted the game at one with an assist from James Lyle (Nepean, Ontario / Smiths Falls Bears) 3:43 into the third period. 

Ignited by the first goal, the Colonials kept rolling as they added a second score at 4:31 when Ron Cramer (New Wilmington, Pa. / Indiana Ice) found Blandina Blandina (Centennial, Colo. / Indiana Ice) to take a 2-1 lead.

RMU extended their advantage to two just one minute and twenty seconds later with a third goal.  Nathan Longpre (Peterborough, Ontario / Mahoning Valley Phantoms) fired a huge one timer past the BSU netminder to record the third Robert Morris goal in under three minutes.  Brock Meadows (White Rock, B.C. / Wayne State) and Stefan Salituro (Willodale, Ontario  / Mahoning Valley Phantoms) earned helpers on Longpre's 14th of the season.

However, the Beavers were not ready to go away quietly.  Bemidji State then stormed back with six minutes left as they scored a pair of their own within a 53 second span.  Ben Kinne tallied the first goal at 14:03 while Ian Lowe deadlocked the game at three at 14:56.

The Colonials would have another power play opportunity, but could not manage to convert before the end of regulation as the game was forced into overtime.

In OT, RMU had a man-advantage once more but each time the Beaver defense held on to shut down the Colonials ending the contest in a 3-3 tie.

Overall, Bemidji State outshot Robert Morris, 36-32.

Robert Morris finishes the 2009-10 season 10-19-6 overall, and 6-9-3 in CHA action.  In the sixth year of the Colonial hockey program, RMU picked up five wins over nationally ranked opponents, including a series sweep of then-No.1 Miami in a home-and-home series in early January.