Box Score

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – November 8, 2013 – In the midst of a four-game homestand, the Robert Morris University men's ice hockey team picked up its first win of the season as the Colonials returned to action against Atlantic Hockey foe Canisius on Friday evening.  After scoring four goals in the previous game for RMU, junior forward Cody Wydo (Southgate, Mich. / Motor City Metal Jackets) would net three more goals in the 6-1 victory.

Wydo's three goals would span ten minutes of action during the first and second periods as he became the first Colonial in the ten-year history of the program to record a natural hat trick.  The forward now leads the NCAA averaging 1.43 goals per game with ten goals in seven games this season.

Robert Morris (1-5-1, 1-0-1 AHA) would pick up the first goal of the game less than two minutes after the opening faceoff.  Streaking down the right-wing boards, Greg Gibson (Burlington, Ontario / Amarillo Bulls) would rip a shot past Canisius (1-4-0, 0-3-0 AHA) goaltender Tony Capobianco.  Gibson was sprung on the attack after Zac Lynch (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Bay State Breakers) received an outlet pass from defenseman Rob Mann (Oshawa, Ontario / Penticton Vees).  The assist for Mann was his first collegiate point.

Six minutes later, the Golden Griffins would tie the game.  Doug Jessey would record a power-play goal for Canisius to pull even with RMU, 1-1.  Jessey's goal marked the fifth-straight game that the Colonials have allowed a power-play goal to their opponent.

RMU would retake the lead with five minutes remaining in the first period as Wydo would start his scoring binge.  The first of his three-consecutive goals would come on the power-play after he corralled a loose puck while positioned near the right post.  The initial shot by Andrew Blazek (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Topeka Roadrunners) bounced around in the crease before squirting to the stick of Wydo.  Colin South (Sewickley, Pa. / Bay State Breakers) would also earn an assist on the first of two power-play goals by the Colonials.

Not satisfied with a single-goal lead heading into the first intermission, Wydo would make the score 3-1 after a nifty move freed him of a Canisius defender.  Picking up an outlet pass from Evan Moore (Grosse Pointe, Mich. / Sioux Falls Stampede), Wydo deked passed a Golden Griffin defender with a toe drag before shifting to his backhand to roof a shot over Capobianco with 75 seconds remaining in the period.  Ben Robillard (Ottawa, Ontario / Ottawa Jr. Senators) would earn an assist on Wydo's highlight reel goal.

Five minutes into the second period, Wydo would complete the natural hat trick with his third goal of the evening.  Similar to his first goal of the game, Wydo would capitalize on an opportunistic rebound allowed by Capobianco.  A shot from South hit the pads of the goaltender and fell to Wydo in the crease where he slammed home the puck for his second hat trick in as many games.  Blazek would also be credited with an assist on the goal that allowed Wydo to become the only player in the NCAA to have multiple hat tricks this season.

The Colonials would carry a three-goal lead into the third period where RMU would continue to expand their advantage with a pair of third-period goals.  The first of the two goals would come off of the stick of Lynch who converted another rebound opportunity for Robert Morris.  Lynch collected the rebound given up by Capobianco off of the original shot by Jeff Jones (Revelstoke, British Columbia / Merritt Centennials) who was playing in his first game of the season for RMU.  Matt Cope (Lakewood, Colo. / Wenatchee Wild) would earn an assist on the goal that made the score 5-1 in favor of the home team.

The evening was capped off with a goal from Brandon Denham (Milton, Ontario / Oakville Blades) with 4:30 remaining in the third period.  After Tyson Wilson (Brockville, Ontario / Brockville Braves) forced a turnover, he fed a pass to Gibson who skated in on the left wing while Denham drove towards the net.  At the last possible second, Gibson shuffled a pass right to the tape of Denham's stick as he directed the puck into the net for RMU's sixth and final goal of the game.

While holding the advantage on the scoreboard, the Colonials also recorded more shots and power plays that Canisius.  Of the 35 shots taken by RMU, three Colonials each recorded four shots – Cope, Gibson, and Lynch. 

RMU also blocked more shots than Canisius, 15-10, as Blazek recorded six blocked shots in front of Shafer.  Shafer's two career victories have both come against the Golden Griffins.  Of his 28 stops, 26 of them came in the final two periods after the Colonials held Canisius to just three shots on goal in the first period.

The Colonials will host their fourth different opponent during the four-game homestand when RIT comes to the 84 Lumber Arena tomorrow evening for a 7:05 p.m. faceoff.