PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Feb. 11, 2012 – Ten different Colonials recorded points including four different scorers as the Robert Morris men's hockey team earned a 4-2 win over Mercyhurst on Saturday night, splitting the weekend series with its Western Pennsylvania rival.

“We played six good periods this weekend even with the split,” Colonials head coach Derek Schooley said. “We had a bunch of guys contributing all weekend, and that's what we need to do every game to be successful the rest of the season.”

After being held to just one goal on Friday in Erie, Robert Morris (14-13-3 overall, 12-8-3 Atlantic Hockey) opened the series finale by building a three-goal lead in the first 24 minutes of action on Saturday. Sophomore forward Colin South (Sewickley, Pa. / Bay State Breakers) notched his second goal of the weekend and eighth overall 6:23 into the contest with assists from senior forward Nick Chiavetta (Harrisburg, Pa. / New York Applecore) and freshman defenseman Tyson Wilson (Brockville, Ontario / Brockville Braves). Wilson has now recorded an assist in each of the last four games for Robert Morris.

Senior forward Cody Crichton (Palgrave, Ontario / Brampton Capitals) made it a 2-0 game just over three minutes later at 9:49 when he tallied his seventh goal of the year and team-high 23rd point. Freshman defenseman David Rigatti (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Texas Tornado) picked up his second career point with an assist while freshman forward Cody Wydo (Allen Park, Mich. / Motor City Metal Jackets) also earned an assist on the goal. Chiavetta would open the second period with his ninth goal of the year at the 3:13 mark for the eventual game winner off the set up from junior defenseman Brendan Jamison (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Jersey Hitmen).

Mercyhurst (16-12-4, 13-6-4) would cut the lead to 3-1 with a goal from Paul Chiasson just over a minute later, but freshman forward Jeff Jones (Sylvan Lake, Alberta / Canmore Eagles) would pocket his fourth career goal at 14:47 of the second stanza to reclaim the three-goal lead. Senior forwards Ron Cramer (New Wilmington, Pa. / Indiana Ice) and Brandon Blandina (Centennial, Colo. / Indiana Ice) would tally assists on the goal. Cramer moved within one point of RMU's top-ten in points and assists with the helper.

The Lakers would pocket their second and final goal of the game at 3:54 of the third period off the stick of Derek Elliot, but that would be all RMU senior goaltender Brooks Ostergard (Chagrin Falls, Ohio / Bay State Breakers) and the Colonial defense would allow. Ostergard made 23 saves on the night to improve to 8-9-2 for the year while the Robert Morris penalty kill would blank Mercyhurst on three chances. Defensively, the Colonials blocked 21 shots in the game including a game-high five blocks by senior defenseman Josh Jones (Scenery Hill, Pa. / Hawkesbury Hawks). Jordan Tibbett took the loss for the Lakers, making 22 saves on 26 shots in 40 minutes of work. Max Strang closed out the third period for the Lakers, making nine saves.

Robert Morris returns to action next weekend with a pair of league games at RIT.

-Robert Morris University, 2013 NCAA® Frozen Four® Host Institution-