The Robert Morris men's hockey team (9-7-2 overall, 7-2-2 Atlantic Hockey) heads back into AHA action with a pair of league games at Bentley this weekend. Robert Morris is 3-2-1 all-time against the Falcons and 2-0-1 in its last three meetings. The Colonials have not ventured to Watertown since Oct. 2005 and are 1-1-0 at Ryan Skating Arena in two games at the venue. Robert Morris looks to continue its climb among the Atlantic Hockey ranks. The Colonials are currently tied for second in the league with RIT and Mercyhurst with 16 AHA points -- trailing league-leading Air Force by just a point.
Musket Shots
- Robert Morris' program-record eight-game unbeaten streak came to an end last week in a 4-2 loss to No. 4 Ohio State at CONSOL Energy Center.
- The Colonials boast the nation second-best penalty killing unit at 93.8 percent (76-for-81).
- Senior goalie Brooks Ostergard earned AHA Travel Team USA Goaltender of the Month honors for December and currently boasts the fifth best save percentage (.931) in the nation.
- Robert Morris' 3.00 goals per game ranks second in the Atlantic Hockey Association.
- With the nonconference schedule complete, RMU closes out the season with 16 AHA contests.
- RMU is 3-2-1 all-time against Bentley.
Media Information:
This weekend's games, along with every Atlantic Hockey Association contest this season, can be viewed live at Americaone.com. Live stats can be found online at RMUColonials.com prior to each game.
Follow RMU Online:
Want exclusive, up-to-the-minute access to the Robert Morris men's hockey team? Follow the team using Facebook (Facebook.com/RMUHockey) and on Twitter (@RMUHockey).
On the Horizon:
Robert Morris returns to Clearview Arena and the RMU Island Sports Center next weekend with a two-game series against Holy Cross. The Colonials met the Crusaders for the first time last year in Worchester -- splitting a two-game series with a 4-2 loss on Nov. 5 before falling 2-3 the next night.
Ostergard Nabs AHA Nod:
Brooks Ostergard picked up the second AHA monthly honor in Robert Morris history earlier this week when the senior goalie was honored as the league's Goaltender of the Month for December. Ostergard (5-5-1) went 3-1-1 in December and posted a .955 save percentage and a GAA of 1.58. His only loss in the month -- to No. 4 Ohio State -- was his first loss in two months. The senior's .931 overall save percentage leads the AHA and ranks fifth in the nation while his 2.49 GAA ranks third in the league.
RMU Stays Hot in AHA Play:
Last Friday's loss to No. 4 Ohio State ended RMU's overall unbeaten streak, but the Colonials still hold an eight-game unbeaten streak in league play. Robert Morris is 6-0-2 over the span, which dates back to RMU's last loss on Nov. 5 to AIC. The streak is the longest active streak in the Atlantic Hockey Association.
Spreading the Puck Around:
22 members of the RMU squad have tallied a point already this season, and scoring seems to be a team event for the Colonials. Cody Wydo leads the team with eight goals this season while Cody Crichton lead the program with 15 points. Crichton's 12 assists also pace the Colonials.
Wydo Catches Fire:
Newcomer Cody Wydo has caught fire during RMU's eight-game AHA unbeaten streak, tallying 11 of his 12 points over the span. The freshman is tied for fourth in the nation among rookies with eight goals this year and has notched a point in seven of RMU's last nine games. Robert Morris is 6-1-1 when Wydo notches a point.
Killer PK:
Robert Morris currently has the second highest penalty killing rate in the NCAA at 93.8 percent (76-for-81). RMU went 4-for-5 while down a skater last weekend against OSU -- surrendering a rare power-play goal on a Buckeye two-man advantage. Only Yale (94.4 percent, 51-for-54) has a higher killing rate.
Never Let Up
Through 18 games this year, Robert Morris is 8-0-1 when leading after the second period. The Colonials are also 4-0-0 in one-goal games this season.
Scouting the Falcons:
Bentley heads into the weekend after a 9-3 loss at No. 19 Yale last Sunday, but the Falcons aren't to be taken lightly. In league play this season, Bentley has allowed an AHA-low 19 goals (1.87 league GAA is also first in the AHA) while the Falcons's offense ranks fourth in the league with 2.90 goals per game in league play. Brett Gensler leads the Falcons with 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) this year while Brett Hartung leads the team with five goals. Brandon Komm has played the majority of minutes in net for Bentley (5-7-3, .922 save percentage, 2.67 GAA). Ryan Soderquist is in his 10th season behind the bench for Bentley.
C. South Returns to Action:
After missing three games with an injury, Colin South returned to the RMU line up last weekend against No. 4 Ohio State and immediately made an impact. The sophomore scored twice in the first period of Friday's 4-2 loss to the Buckeyes -- giving the Colonials a pair of early leads. South has nine points (four goals, five assists) this season.
Giving the Team a Plus:
Four of the AHA's top nine plus/minus skaters play for Robert Morris including Josh Jones (0-5--5), who ranks second in the league at plus-12, and Tyler Hinds (1-3--4), who ranks third in the AHA at plus-9. Cody Wydo (plus-7; T-5th) and Scott Jacklin (7-4--11; plus-6; T-9th) also rank among the top AHA skaters. Jones is one off the league lead set by Air Force's Mike Walsh.
Putting the Puck on Net:
When the Colonials put the puck on net, chances are they are going to win. Robert Morris holds an 8-2-2 record when tallying 30 or more shots. That record improves to an unbeaten 4-0-1 when the Colonials pester opposing goalies with 40 or more shots.
Home Ice Advantage:
While the Colonials are on the road this weekend, they'll see plenty of Clearview Arena in the coming weeks as nine of their final 14 games will be played at home including the last five contests of the year. Robert Morris is 5-2-2 at Clearview Arena this season.
Climbing the Rankings:
In the last month of action, Robert Morris has climbed from eighth in the Atlantic Hockey Association to its current position --tied for second for second with RIT and Mercyhurst. With 16 total league points, the Colonials have picked up 14 points over the last eight league games and trail league-leading Air Force by just one point.
Getting on the Board:
In a 11 league games this season, Robert Morris has developed into one of the Atlantic Hockey Association's top offenses. The Colonials rank second in the conference with 3.55 goals per game -- behind only Air Force (3.64). Overall, RMU boasts 3.00 goals per game -- also second in the AHA behind the Falcons (3.29).
Moving On Up:
Trevor Lewis currently ranks tied for sixth all-time at RMU with 28 career goals, ninth all-time in career points (66) and 10th all-time in career assists (38). The senior can continue his climb in the RMU record books this weekend. Lewis needs one goal to tie Jason Towsley (2005-08) for fifth on RMU's all-time goals list while a point will tie
Lewis with Doug Conley (2004-06) for eighth on the points list. An assist will move the senior into a tie for ninth with Chris Kaufman (2004-07). Lewis currently ranks 10th on RMU's career games played list with 122 games under his belt.
The Century Club:
Robert Morris will look to pick up the 100th win in program history later this year. In eight years of Division I play (all under head coach Derek Schooley), the Colonials have amassed a 96-132-33 overall record including a 27-19-7 mark since joining the Atlantic Hockey Association in 2010-11.
Frozen Four Comes to PA:
The NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Committee has chosen the city of Pittsburgh as the site of the 2013 NCAA Frozen Four with Robert Morris University serving as the host institution in conjunction with VisitPittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League. CONSOL Energy Center will host the historic event on April 11-13, 2013 with the event marking first NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship event held in the state of Pennsylvania. In addition, it will be the first major team sport in NCAA history to conduct its national championship in the city of Pittsburgh. Continue checking RMUColonials.com for updates leading up to the 2013 NCAA Frozen Four.
