Box Score Pittsburgh, Pa. - For the second time in two weeks, the Robert Morris University women's hockey team scored a goal within the final two minutes of regulation to earn a point as the Colonials fought back to claim a 2-2 tie against Syracuse Friday evening, extending their unbeaten streak to four games, in College Hockey America (CHA) action at the RMU Island Sports Center.
Junior Brianna Delaney (Stittsville, Ontario / NCCP Raiders) recorded the game-tying goal with just 1:46 left in the third and in the process became the first player in RMU history to notch at least 10 goals in each of her first three seasons as a Colonial. She also moved into fourth place in single-season school history with 25 points and now holds three of the top four marks all-time.
Freshman Thea Imbrogno (Etobicoke, Ontario / Mississauga Jr. Chiefs), the two-time reigning CHA Rookie of the Week, opened the scoring with her 10th goal of the season. She extended her point streak to seven games, which gives her sole possession of second place in RMU history, and is now just one shy of tying the school record. Imbrogno is now also tied for fifth in single-season school history with 24 points.
Robert Morris came out of the gates strong as it fired six of the game's first seven shots but was unable to cash in early. Even though it had to kill off a Syracuse power play in the closing minutes of the opening frame, the Colonials still had an 11-5 margin in shots in the first 20 minutes of action, but the teams headed into the intermission scoreless.
RMU started out fast in the second stanza as well and was able to find the twine this time around. Imbrogno and senior assistant captain Sara O'Malley (Guelph, Ontario / Hamilton Hawks) found themselves in on a 2-on-1 break in the opening minute with the rookie carrying the puck. Imbrogno drew her stick back high to fake the goaltender and used the pause to perfection as she ripped a shot into the upper right corner to put RMU on top. Freshman defenseman Anneline Lauziere (St. Thomas, Ontario / London Jr. Devilettes) assisted on the score.
It did not take long for the Orange to respond, however, as Ashley Cockell knocked in a puck in front of the Colonial cage to tie the game just 20 seconds later.
RMU immediately looked to retake the lead and dominated the run of play during the middle portions of the second as the Colonials took 23 of 25 shot attempts during one stretch.
Nonetheless, Cockell was again able to score for the Orange as she put home a rebound on the power play with just 47 seconds left in the second to give Syracuse a 2-1 lead heading into intermission.
Although Robert Morris eventually tied the game late in the third, its penalty-kill corps and netminder Meeri Räisänen (Kangasala, Finland / Espoo Blues Finland) kept RMU within striking distance for a sizeable portion of the frame. The Colonials killed off two Orange power plays during the final period while Räisänen made 13 stops to keep the Colonials within a single tally.
With the seconds waning, Lauziere sent the puck ahead to Delaney as she went streaking into the offensive zone. Delaney was 1-on-1 with an Orange defenseman and deftly maneuvered the puck across the goal line to even the game at two.
Robert Morris continued to fight for the game-winning goal and had a few quality chances at recording it as the Colonials fired off each of the next nine shot attempts, over the end of regulation and the beginning of overtime, after they had knotted the game. However, the tide flipped when RMU was forced to kill off a penalty with under three minutes to play in overtime.
The Colonials held off Syracuse in the do-or-die situation as Räisänen made two stops on the man-advantage and three Colonials blocked shots to keep the game tied.
Coupled with Feb. 5's comeback against Niagara, this marks the first time in school history that Robert Morris has earned a point in consecutive games in which it has trailed after the second period.
Lauziere's pair of assists gave her the first multi-point game of her collegiate career. Räisänen finished with 25 stops on the evening.
Robert Morris outshot Syracuse 38-27, marking the most shots the Colonials have ever taken against the Orange. Additionally, RMU has still never been outshot by Syracuse at home.
Robert Morris will conclude its series with Syracuse Saturday afternoon at 3:05 p.m. The contest will mark the final home game as a Colonial for senior captain Whitney Pappas (Evergreen, Colo. / Belle Tire), O'Malley, Daneca Butterfield (Kronau, Saskatchewan / Notre Dame Hounds) and Maria Stoa (Bloomington, Minn. / Eden Prairie).
