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No. 8 Robert Morris Colonials (18-3-1, 8-1-1 CHA) @ No. 10 Quinnipiac Bobcats (16-3-5, 7-3-4 ECAC)
Friday, January 17, 2014 / TD Bank Sports Center – Hamden, Conn. / 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 18, 2014 / TD Bank Sports Center – Hamden, Conn. / 2:00 p.m.

Top Story – No. 8 Robert Morris returns to the ice this weekend after a bye week to finish off its non-conference slate at No. 10 Quinnipiac. The Colonials will take the nation's best unbeaten streak of 11 games into the two-game series with the Bobcats, and this will mark the first time RMU has faced a Top 10 team as a nationally-ranked squad itself. This weekend has the possible makings of a historic one for the Colonials, as a win will tie the program single-season record for victories and would also move Paul Colontino into the top spot of the career record book for wins.
 

 
Series vs. Quinnipiac – The Colonials haven't fared well in their history against the Bobcats, as they are winless in eight meetings. RMU was swept at 84 Lumber Arena last season in a pair of one-goal games (2-1, 3-2) and had an eight game unbeaten streak snapped by Quinnipiac on Nov. 26, 2011.
 
Scouting Quinnipiac – Quinnipiac comes into this weekend's match-up with an overall record of 16-3-5 and a mark in the ECAC of 7-3-4, which slots them second in the conference behind Cornell. The Bobcats have spent the majority of the season in both national rankings; they first entered the USCHO.com Poll on Oct. 21 and the USA Today / USA Hockey Magazine Poll on Oct. 15 and have stuck around in both rankings ever since. Quinnipiac holds a win over nationally-ranked Boston College (3-2 on Nov. 15), and has also tied Cornell (1-1 on Nov. 2). Senior forward Kelly Babstock leads the team with 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists), while junior forward Shiann Darkangelo paces the Bobcats in goals with 16. Chelsea Laden, a junior, has started the majority of games between the pipes for Quinnipiac, posting a record 14-3-5 with a goals-against-average of 1.16.

Last Time Out – After taking a month off for the holidays, Robert Morris returned to the ice looking to extend a program record nine-game unbeaten streak. Behind a strong performance between the pipes by Jessica Dodds, the Colonials earned their sixth sweep of the season with two wins over St. Lawrence.
 
RMU kicked things off with a 4-2 win on Jan. 4, thanks in part to seven different skaters recording points.
 
Just a minute into the opening face-off, the scoreboard was dented after Rebecca Vint lit the lamp off a pass from Brittany Howard. The score remained 1-0 for most of the first period, but the Saints tied the game up with less than three minutes remaining.
 
The Colonials snatched the lead back with 3:44 left in the second period. After Anneline Lauziere forced a turnover, the senior defenseman passed it to Kristen Richards, who then dangled the puck past two defenders before lofting a backhander into the net.
 
With 12.9 seconds remaining in the frame, it was Lauziere's turn to find the back of the net. This time it was Richards setting up her classmate, as Lauziere broke through on the power play to make it 3-1.
 
After Brandi Pollock joined Maeve Garvey in the penalty box with six minutes and change left in the third period, St. Lawrence pulled their goaltender in hopes of pulling within one on the six-on-three advantage. However, this strategy backfired as Kylie St. Louis fired a shot from the circle that found the empty net.
 
The Saints would eventually tally a goal at the 15:43 mark with an extra skater on the ice, but that's all they could muster.
 
Dodds made 28 saves, including 12 in the final 20 minutes.
 
The rookie netminder stole the show in the Jan. 5 contest, as she made a career-high 32 saves in a 3-0 shutout victory.
 
Just like the previous game, Vint opened the scoring. The junior forward gathered a pass from Howard once again, and she fired it in from the front of the crease.
 
RMU added onto its lead in the second period as Thea Imbrogno lit the lamp for the eighth time this season. Imbrogno also gathered a pass from Howard before lifting the puck top-shelf past the St. Lawrence goaltender.
 
With 3:49 remaining in the game, the Saints once again pulled their goaltender in hopes of cutting the Colonial lead in half. The strategy backfired once again however, as Katie Fergus found the open net to put the game away.

Against the Elite – This weekend's series at Quinnipiac will mark the first time Robert Morris has faced a ranked foe while being nationally-ranked itself.
 
The Colonials have faced two teams this season that were ranked (at the time) in either the USCHO.com or USA Today / USA Hockey Magazine Top 10 and split both series against them. RMU took on No. 8/7 Boston University on Oct. 18-19, 2013, dropping the first game 5-2, before rebounding to take the rubber match, 3-0. On Nov. 8-9, 2013, the Colonials linked up with in-state rival No. 9 Mercyhurst. RMU fell in the opener 2-0, but used a three-goal first period to split the two-game set with a 3-2 victory.
 
Last season, the Colonials played a total of seven games against ranked foes - five of which coming against the Lakers. In those games RMU compiled a record of 3-3-1.
 
Under Paul Colontino, the Colonials have posted a mark of 7-9-2 in games against nationally-ranked teams. Before Colontino took over in 2011-12, RMU had compiled a 5-48-1 record versus teams inside the Top 10.
 
Climbing the Top 10 Ladder – For the second-straight week, Robert Morris moved up in the polls, climbing to a program-high No. 8 position.
 
The Colonials were in the No. 9 spot last week after sticking around at No. 10 for the last four sets of polls. This week RMU received 43 points from USCHO.com and 61 from USA Today / USA Hockey Magazine, surpassing Boston University by four and 13 points, respectively.
 
Ahead of the Colonials is No. 7 Boston College, who knocked off the Terriers this past weekend. RMU trails the Eagles by 17 points in the USCHO.com rankings and by seven points in the USA Today / USA Hockey Magazine rankings.
 
Prior to their first appearance in the national Top 10, the Colonials spent four consecutive weeks in both polls' 'receiving votes' category.
 
Bracketology – The Pairwise Rankings attempt to mimic the method used by the NCAA Selection Committee to determine participants for the eight-team NCAA Division I women's hockey tournament. The criteria that PWR uses include record against common opponents, record against teams under consideration, head to head competition, and the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI).
 
According to the latest version of the rankings, the Colonials are currently in as the sixth team. RMU trails Clarkson by .0010 and is ahead of North Dakota by .0032 in RPI.
 
A Special Streak – The Colonials currently hold the best winning and unbeaten streaks in NCAA Division I women's hockey at seven and 11 games, respectively.
 
Robert Morris hasn't lost since Nov. 8 when it dropped a 2-0 decision to Mercyhurst. The Colonials won three straight games after that loss, then skated to a 1-1 tie at Syracuse on Nov. 22.
 
In the last seven games, RMU has scored an average of exactly three goals per contest and has allowed just 1.3 per game. Over the unbeaten streak, the Colonials have won five contests decided by one goal.
 
Know Your Enemy – Robert Morris has faced Quinnipiac three times over the past two seasons and have had two current players register multiple points against the Bobcats.
 
Thea Imbrogno tallied a power play goal and an assist in a 3-2 loss on Oct. 26, 2011, while Kylie St. Louis notched a short-handed goal and a helper over two different games.
 
Katie Fergus, Kristen Richards, and Rebecca Vint have each lit the lamp against Quinnipiac in their career. Other current players that have recorded an assist against the Bobcats are: Maddie Collias, Kelsey Gunn, Brandi Pollock, and Katelyn Scott.
 
Road Warriors – Playing away from your home confines is tough in any sport, but Robert Morris has excelled outside 84 Lumber Arena this season. The Colonials are 6-0-1 on the road, with just a tie on Nov. 22 against Syracuse as their only non-victory away from the Steel City.
 
RMU has swept two teams in their home arenas, beating Bemidji State (2-1, 3-0) in early September and Penn State (4-0, 6-0) on the week of Halloween.
 
On the road, the Colonials have averaged 2.86 goals per game and have allowed just 0.57 goals per game. In comparison, RMU has averaged 2.93 goals per game and allowed 2.07 goals per game at home.
 
Selected for Sochi – Former Colonial goaltender Brianne McLaughlin was selected for the U.S. women's national team that will compete in the 2014 Winter Olympic Games next month in Sochi, Russia.
 
This is McLaughlin's second Olympic appearance, as she was part of the 2010 U.S. team that won silver in Vancouver. The netminder has won gold medals in the 2011 and 2013 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Women's Championships, and took home silver in the 2012 competition.
 
McLaughlin was a four-time All-CHA selection for Robert Morris from 2005-09 and still holds numerous program records, including the top spot in shutouts (8), saves per game (31.74), and saves (3,809) - the latter of which also being an NCAA record.
 
Quick Learning Curve – Robert Morris has gotten off to its best start in program history, and part of that has to do with some individual performances that rank among the nation's best.
 
Freshman forward Brittany Howard leads all freshmen in goals (12), assists (19), and points (31), and ranks tied for 12th, tied for sixth, and sixth in those respective categories, nationally. Howard also is tied for first in game-winning goals with five.
 
Fellow classmate Jessica Dodds leads the nation in winning percentage (.969), and ranks seventh in goals-against-average (1.43). Her winning percentage and number of shutouts (4) are the best among freshmen, while her GAA and save percentage (.938) rank second among rookies.
 
I'll Take the Saturday Special – The Colonials have enjoyed Saturdays moreso than Friday evenings in this early season, as they have won all eight games played on the weekend's first day.
 
Robert Morris has used Saturdays as bounce-back days this year, with three of those seven weekend wins coming after a Friday loss. The Colonials did this in their opening series against RPI, as they outlasted the Engineers in overtime to win 3-2, and then picked up a big 3-0 victory against No. 7/8 Boston University following a 5-2 loss the night before. RMU also came back from a 2-0 defeat to Mercyhurst with a 3-2 victory to split the series.
 
The Colonials also have clinched four sweeps on Saturdays, as they beat Bemidji State 3-0 on Oct. 12, Vermont 6-4 on Oct. 26, Lindenwood 3-1 on Nov. 16, and RIT 4-2 on Dec. 7.
 
RMU is scoring an average of 3.4 goals per game on Saturdays, while allowing just 1.6 goals per game. On Fridays, the Colonials average just 2.4 goals per game and give up 2.0.
 
Welcome to the 100 Club – Thea Imbrogno made history on Nov. 29, as she became the second Colonial to reach the 100-point barrier.
 
Imbrogno notched her 99th point with a goal in RMU's 2-1 win at Syracuse on Nov. 23, but was held without a point the following game at Ohio State. However, with less than nine minutes remaining in the second period of the Colonials' game against Maine, Imbrogno found Brittany Howard for a goal and hit the triple-digit mark.
 
Now at 107 career points, Imbrogno now sits 14 out of first place in the RMU record books, which is held by Brianna Delaney (2008-12).
 
Record Watch – Senior assistant captain Thea Imbrogno ranks in the career top five in Robert Morris program history for points, goals and assists. 22 games into 2013-14 season, Imbrogno ranks second in career points and career assists. Imbrogno also ranks fourth in career goals scored with 47. If she finishes the year similar to her previous three seasons, then she could end up threatening at the top marks in all of those categories.
 
Imbrogno also holds spots in the same categories for single season performance. She worked her way into the single-season record books after an impressive sophomore campaign. Imbrogno ranks second in single-season points, tied for fourth in single-season goals scored and second in single-season assists.
 
Junior forward Rebecca Vint reset the single-season record book last season as a freshman, and added onto that with a successful sophomore campaign. 22 games into the 2013-14 season, Vint ranks third in career points, goals, and assists. She also holds the program's single-season records in points, goals, and assists, and cracked the top five in points (third) and goals (tied for fourth) after her second season.
 
Freshman forward Brittany Howard has also entered the program record books 22 games into her rookie campaign. Howard is currently tied for third in single-season assists and tied for fifth in single-season points.
 
If Imbrogno breaks Brianna Delaney's career marks in her senior campaign, Vint could topple them in her final season as a Colonial in 2014-15.
 
Career Points
121 – Brianna Delaney (53g, 68a)
107 – Thea Imbrogno (47g, 60a)
98 – Rebecca Vint (49g, 49a)
97 – Sara O'Malley (52g, 45a)
75 – Kelsey Thomas (32g, 43a)
75 – Kristen Miles (43g, 32a)
 
Career Goals
53 – Brianna Delaney
52 – Sara O'Malley
49 – Rebecca Vint
47 – Thea Imbrogno
43 – Kristen Miles
 
Career Assists
68 – Brianna Delaney
60 – Thea Imbrogno
49 – Rebecca Vint
45 – Sara O'Malley
43 – Kelsey Thomas

Single-Season Points
44 – Rebecca Vint – 11-12
36 – Thea Imbrogno – 11-12
33 – Rebecca Vint – 12-13
32 – Brianna Delaney – 08-09
31 – Brittany Howard – 13-14
 
Single-Season Goals
22 – Rebecca Vint – 11-12
18 – Brianna Delaney – 08-09
18 – Sara O'Malley – 09-10
16 – Thea Imbrogno – 11-12
16 – Rebecca Vint – 12-13
 
Single-Season Assists
22 – Rebecca Vint – 11-12
20 – Thea Imbrogno – 11-12
19 – Brittany Howard – 13-14
19 – Brianna Delaney – 10-11
18 – Brianna Delaney – 11-12
 
Looking Back – The Colonials have played three times on Jan. 17-18 in their program history, and have come up on the wrong end of every result.
 
On Jan. 18, 2008, RMU traveled to RPI to take on the Engineers. With 4:50 remaining in the third period, RPI lit the lamp for the game's only goal, taking the contest, 1-0. Brianne McLaughlin made 31 saves in the loss and Jordan Riley led the Colonials with five shots on net.
 
The next year RMU traveled to the Motor City to take on Wayne State. A total of 10 goals were scored in the game, but the Warriors were on the right end of seven of those goals in a 7-3 victory.
 
The Colonials took the lead against Wayne State with 13 seconds remaining in the first period as Riley scored off a pass from Mallory Giambra, but the Warriors answered with a goal in the second and a power play tally in the third to take the lead.
 
40 seconds after Wayne State's second goal, RMU knotted the game up at 2-2 after Sara O'Malley lit the lamp. The Warriors then exploded for three goals over the next minutes, and finished the game with two unassisted tallies after Kathryn Stack scored on the power play.
 
McLaughlin stopped 19 shots in the loss, while former Colonial goaltender Delayne Brian made 16 saves to help secure the win.
 
Last season, RMU dropped a heartbreaker to Quinnipiac, 2-1.
 
The Colonials opened up the scoring with a goal from Kristen Richards, but less than 10 minutes later the Bobcats would answer with a short-hander. The game then stayed knotted up at 1-1 until the last 22 seconds of regulation, as Quinnipiac's Brittany Lyons lit the lamp to give her Bobcats the win.
 
Kristen DiCiocco stopped 21 of 23 shots in the loss.