GAME NOTES vs. Niagara (10/19)
Niagara Game Notes
Game #3
Robert Morris vs. Niagara
Saturday, October 19, 2013 - 7:05 p.m. - 84 Lumber Arena (1,200) - Pittsburgh, Pa.
Against the Purple Eagles
Robert Morris kicks off the home portion of its schedule with a contest against perennial conference rival Niagara. Â Dating back to when the two teams were members of the CHA, the Colonials have faced Niagara 47 times. Â The first meeting between the two teams this season will be the 48th clash with the Purple Eagles. Â The Colonials have won 12 of the previous meetings while the two teams have tied on eight other occasions. Â The last time that the two teams met, Robert Morris pulled out a 6-5 overtime victory at 84 Lumber Arena after a power-play goal from
Colin South won the game in the extra period.
Scouting Niagara
The Purple Eagles ended the 2012-13 season with a first-round exit in the NCAA West Regional after suffering a 2-1 loss against North Dakota. Â Niagara finished the season with a record of 23-10-5 and a record of 20-5-2 against AHA opponents. Â This season, Niagara was selected to finish atop the conference in a poll of the association's head coaches. Â After dropping their first two games of the season against Clarkson in non-conference action, the Purple Eagles earned their first victory of the season against Canisius last week with a 6-4 win. Â Mike Conderman leads the squad with two goals in three games while he is also one of five Purple Eagles to have multiple points in the young season. Â Adrian Ignagni and Jackson Teichroeb have both seen action in goal for Niagara with Ignagni earning the club's only victory while sporting a 1.22 goals-against average and a save percentage of .957.
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The 2013-14 season marks the 10th season for the Colonial hockey program. Â It is the team's fourth season in the Atlantic Hockey Association. Â Robert Morris has an all-time record of 124-156-40 in its time as a Division I program. Â Head coach
Derek Schooley has been behind the bench for every season at RMU.
Captain Colin Feasts on the Purple Eagles
Including his game-winning goal in overtime against Niagara last season,
Colin South has found the back of the net four times in ten games against the Purple Eagles. Â South has also recorded two assists to total six points in the ten contests facing Niagara.
Standing Tall on "D"
With three underclassmen goaltenders, the defense of Robert Morris will be counted on to stand tall and take pressure off of the trio. Â In the two games so far this season, the Colonials have blocked more shots than their opponents. Â RMU has averaged 12.50 blocked shots per game and has been led by senior
Evan Renwick who currently ranks in the top-15 nationally in blocked shots.
The Newest Captain
Heading into the program's tenth season, head coach
Derek Schooley turned to senior forward
Colin South as the team's newest captain. Â South served as an assistant captain during his junior season.Â
Preseason AHA Polls
In the Preseason Coaches' Poll, Robert Morris was selected to finish seventh in the conference. Â The Colonials were behind each of their opponents from the western pod; Niagara, Mercyhurst, Air Force, Canisius, and RIT. Â RMU was also selected behind eastern pod favorite Connecticut, the team that knocked the Colonials out of the AHA Quarterfinals last season. Â In the inaugural AHA Meadi Poll, Robert Morris was selected to finish in a tie for seventh with Holy Cross.
Workman, Nicholson Elevated to Associate Head Coach
Prior to the 2013-14 season, head coach
Derek Schooley elevated his two assistants,
Matt Nicholson and
Mark Workman, to the status of associate head coach. Â Workman served as a top assistant at Brown for six seasons before coming to Robert Morris while Nicholson joined the Colonials after time at Adrian College. Â Both coaches are entering their fifth seasons as members of the Colonial hockey family.
55 Wins and Counting
This season's senior class needs just 11 wins to set a new program record for victories by a class. Â The graduating class of 2012 holds the current record with 65 victories. Â This season's group of seniors currently has 55 wins, a number which is the second-most by any graduating class.
As training camps through all levels of hockey kicked off in late September, two members of the Colonial hockey family received invitations to the main NHL camps. Â
Eric Levine got the call to join the Nashville Predators camp while Denny Urban headed to join the Florida Panthers. Â Urban became just the second Colonial in program history to see playing time while in camp when he dressed for the Panthers in an exhibition against Nashville.
A Banner Season
The 2012-13 edition of Robert Morris men's ice hockey will be remembered as one of the greatest in school history as the team set a new school record with 20 victories. Â The team finished with a 20-14-4 overall record while going 13-11-3 in Atlantic Hockey play. Â The Colonials would have two different seven-game unbeaten streaks while also claiming the inaugural Three Rivers Classic.
The Only Man Behind the Benches
Robert Morris is led by
Derek Schooley, who has been the only bench boss for the Colonials in the program's 10-year history. Schooley has a career record of 124-156-40.
