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Robert Morris University Athletics

Men's Hockey

Robert Morris Falls in First Game of Quarterfinals

Storrs, Conn. – The Robert Morris University men's hockey team took to the road for a quarterfinal series of the Atlantic Hockey playoffs as the Colonials traveled to Connecticut to take on the Huskies.  In the first game of the best-of-three series, RMU would let the game's first goal go to waste by allowing four unanswered goals in a 4-1 loss at the hands of the Huskies.

Unlike the two regular-season meetings between the teams, Robert Morris would be the first to get on the board as the Colonials jumped out to a 1-0 lead eleven minutes in to the first period.  On the second power play of the period for RMU, Cody Wydo (Southgate, Mich. / Motor City Metal Jackets) would carry the puck from the far boards to the front of the cage.  As he worked his way towards the cage, Wydo deked around the Connecticut goaltender and tucked the puck in between the skate of the goaltender and the post for his 20th goal of the season.

The lead would not last for the Colonials as Connecticut would tie the game a little more than three minutes later with a power-play goal of its own.  After a shot from the point was blocked by a Robert Morris defender, the puck bounced in to the slot where the Huskies got off a shot that snuck through traffic in the crease and behind goaltender Eric Levine (Wheeling, Ill. / Pembroke Lumber Kings) who started his 34th game this season for the Colonials.

Connecticut would take the lead in the second period as the Huskies held the puck in the defensive zone of Robert Morris for an extended period of time before capitalizing on a tired defensive pairing.  As the puck made its way to center ice, the forwards for RMU went off for a line change allowing Connecticut to re-enter the zone and get off a backhanded shot that fluttered by Levine's glove and in to the cage for a 2-1 lead.

Less than a minute later, 50 seconds to be exact, the Huskies would take a two-goal advantage.  A pass to a Connecticut defender would allow a slap shot to come from the point position and travel through a screen set up in front of Levine for the 3-1 lead as both Connecticut goals would come in the first six minutes of the second period.

Despite maintaining pressure and presence in the attacking zone for the majority of the third period, the Colonials were unable to find a second goal in the game.  With time winding down, Levine was pulled for an extra attacker and Connecticut would seal the victory with an empty-net goal to make the final score 4-1.

Levine would finish the game with 20 saves while Wydo's goal extended his point streak to nine games.  After suffering a loss this season, the Colonials are 10-2-0.  The two teams will meet again tomorrow night for the second game of the series.  It is win or go home for Robert Morris when the puck drops at 7:05 p.m.

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