Box Score

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – November 9, 2013 – A four-game homestand came to an end for the Robert Morris University men's ice hockey team when the Colonials hosted conference opponent RIT on Saturday evening.  After earning its first victory of the season last night, RMU would fall to RIT by a score of 4-2.

Playing in his 45th career game for Robert Morris (1-6-1, 1-1-1 AHA), sophomore defenseman Evan Moore (Grosse Pointe, Mich. / Sioux Falls Stampede) would earn his first career goal in the defeat.

RIT (1-5-2, 1-2-0 AHA) would get on the board first with a goal from Ben Lynch as five minutes remained in the opening frame.  Lynch capitalized on an odd-man rush for the Tigers with a deflection that slid through Robert Morris goaltender Terry Shafer (Penfield, N.Y. / New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs).  Lynch's marker would be the only tally of the first period as Shafer would save 18 of RIT's 19 shots in the first 20 minutes.

Less than 30 seconds into the second period, the Tigers would take a 2-0 lead on a goal by Todd Skirving.  Skirving took advantage of RIT winning a faceoff in the offensive zone and positioned himself for a one-time opportunity in the slot that was unable to be stopped by Shafer.

Working on a delayed penalty call, the Colonials would get on the scoreboard at the 5:42 mark of the second period.  David Friedmann (Toronto, Ontario / Toronto Jr. Canadiens) redirected a pass from Daniel Leavens (Thornhill, Ontario / Newmarket Hurricanes) past RIT goaltender Jordan Ruby to make the score 2-1.  Leavens earned his first career point with a pass to Friedmann from the right wing board for the primary assist.  Cody Wydo (Southgate, Mich. / Motor City Metal Jackets) extended his point streak to six games with the secondary assist on Friedmann's goal.

RIT would pick up two more goals before the conclusion of the second period, both of which were on the power play.  The first of those two goals came from Greg Noyes who allowed the Tigers to regain their two-goal lead and make the score 3-1.  Noyes and the Tigers needed just seven seconds on the man advantage to convert as the defenseman snuck in down the left wing boards behind the RMU penalty kill unit.  Noyes then deked to his backhand after collecting a cross-crease pass to shuffle the puck behind Shafer.

Just 73 seconds later, the Tigers would take a three-goal lead with another power-play goal.  This goal came from Josh Mitchell as he deflected a shot from the point that found its way past Shafer to make the score 4-1.  After the fourth goal, Brandon Lane (Oakville, Ontario / Kanata Stallions) would come and replace Shafer between the pipes for the Colonials.

The lone goal of the third period would come from Moore as he brought the Colonials to within two goals as five minutes remained in the contest.  Moore received a pass from Greg Gibson (Burlington, Ontario / Amarillo Bulls) and fired a shot on net from the left point.  The puck fluttered past Ruby who was screened by traffic in the slot and never saw the puck.

The game would come to an end with the score 4-2 as the Colonials played the final minutes with Lane pulled in favor of an extra attacker.

Before being pulled, Shafer would make 24 saves while Lane, his replacement, finished the contest with four saves.  Lane has not allowed the goal in his two relief appearances this season spanning 44:09.

RMU would outshoot the Tigers, 39-32 and 8-4 while on the power play.  RIT had the advantage in the special teams department, capitalizing on two of its three man advantages while the Colonials did not score on their five chances.

Robert Morris will hit the road when the Colonials travel to Air Force for a single game on Saturday, November 16.  Faceoff against the Falcons is scheduled for 9:05 p.m.