Pittsburgh, Pa. - Nov. 4, 2011 - Junior goaltender Eric Levine stopped 27 shots on goal to pick up his first-career shutout and the first by a Colonial since 2008-09 on Friday as the Robert Morris men's hockey team snapped a three-game skid with a 2-0 win over American International. Senior forward Trevor Lewis notched his third goal of the year for the eventual game winner while freshman forward Jeff Jones tallied an insurance goal for his first point as a Colonial.
Levine (Wheeling, Ill. / Pembroke Lumber Kings) recorded RMU's first shutout over an opponent since current senior Brooks Ostergard (Chargin Falls, Ohio / Bay State Breakers) snubbed Bemidji State in a 3-0 Colonials win on Feb. 14, 2009. On Friday, Levine turned away each of the 27 shots he saw from the Yellowjackets including eight in opening minutes of the first period when RMU took two penalties to open the contest. Levine and the Colonials would escape the early threat and proceed to go 4-for-4 on the penalty kill all night, bringing their season total to 35-for-37.
Offensively, the Colonials (3-5-0 overall, 1-1-0 Atlantic Hockey) tallied a season-high 44 shots on Friday night and outshot their opponent for the first time this season (44-27).
Lewis (Lititz, Pa. / Syracuse Stars) picked up his first game winner of the season when he beat AIC goalie Ben Meisner at 05:08 of the second period. Lewis, who was set up on the goal by junior forward Zach Hervato (Stittsville, Ontario / Smith Falls Bears), leads the Colonials with seven points this season and moved into a tie for the team's goal lead with his third of the season. The RMU captain has tallied a point in six of RMU's eight games this year.
Jones (Revelstoke, British Columbia / Merritt Centennials) would earn a place in the Robert Morris record book at 15:58 of the third when the forward rifled a shot from the point for his first point as a Colonial. The insurance goal would come with assists from sophomore forward Colin South (Sewickley, Pa. / Bay State Breakers) and sophomore defenseman Evan Renwick (Oreleans, Ontario / Nepean Raiders).
American International (1-7-0, 1-2-0) would pull Meisner with time running out, but the Colonials would keep the door shut to pick up the win as well as two very important league points. Meisner would finish the game with 42 saves on 44 shots.
Robert Morris returns to action on Saturday with the AIC series finale at 7:05 p.m. The team with host "Skate with the Colonials" following the game with all fans being able to join the team on the ice. The event is free with your own skates while skates may also be rented for $2.50.
###
