PITTSBURGH, Pa. – February 15, 2014 – On the backend of a home-and-home series, the Robert Morris University men's ice hockey team hosted Niagara in a key Atlantic Hockey showdown on Saturday evening as a part of the program's Military Appreciation Night.  Despite being outshot, 44-23, it would be the Colonials claiming a 5-0 victory on home ice over the Purple Eagles as the two familiar foes met for the 50th time.

In front of a packed house, nine different Colonials would record a point but it was Robert Morris (12-14-4, 12-7-4 AHA) sophomore goaltender Terry Shafer (Penfield, N.Y. / New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs) stole the show.  Named the Travel Team USA Atlantic Hockey Goaltender of the Week for the past two weeks, Shafer recorded 44 saves to backstop the Colonials in the victory.

Shafer and the Colonial penalty kill unit would hold the Niagara (10-16-4, 10-9-4 AHA) power play off the board in all six attempts with Shafer making ten saves while RMU was a man down.  As a unit, RMU blocked 19 shots in the game, five of which came on the penalty kill. 

The Colonials would need just two minutes of action to record what would become the game-winning goal.  At the 2:05 mark of the first period, junior forward Scott Jacklin (Kimberley, British Columbia / Trail Smoke Eaters) found an opening in the slot and one-timed a pass that got behind Niagara netminder Jackson Teichroeb to give Robert Morris a 1-0 advantage with his tenth goal of the season.

Shafer recorded 16 saves in the opening frame, including four while on the penalty kill.  Shafer stood tall after a Robert Morris power play late in the first period, making a succession of saves over a thirty-second span that included a sprawling save moving from his right to his left to stop a Purple Eagle who was all alone at the right post.

The lead for RMU would double eight minutes into the second period when sophomore forward Zac Lynch (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Bay State Breakers) scored his 15th goal of the season to give the Colonials a two-goal advantage.  Lynch maneuvered into the slot and fired a shot that was deflected on its path towards the net and got past Teichroeb to put Robert Morris ahead, 2-0.

With less than four minutes remaining in the second period, senior forward Colin South (Sewickley, Pa. / Bay State Breakers) deflected a shot from the point past Teichroeb to give the Colonials a 3-0 lead over Niagara.  South's deflection gave the captain his sixth goal of the season while the two teams each had a player in the penalty box and were playing four-on-four hockey.

Making a pedestrian 13 saves in the second period, Shafer preserved the Robert Morris lead while the offense provided a pair of goals as the RMU advantage was 3-0 after 40 minutes.  During a span of four minutes between the two goals by RMU in the second period, Shafer made six-consecutive saves without the Colonials recording a shot on goal.

The Purple Eagles would make a change in net to start the third period with Adrian Ignagni replacing Teichroeb between the pipes.  Just 59 seconds and one shot later, Robert Morris would have a 4-0 advantage after a goal by sophomore forward Brandon Denham (Milton, Ontario / Oakville Blades).  Denham notched his eighth goal of the season with a wristshot from the right-wing boards that snuck past Ignagni.

After the goal from Denham, Teichroeb returned to the net, but RMU would pick up a fifth goal less than four minutes later.  Sophomore forward David Friedmann (Toronto, Ontario / Toronto Jr. Canadiens) potted his eighth goal of the season when he tapped home a cross-ice pass during an odd-man rush for the Colonials to make the score 5-0 in favor of the home squad.

Despite being outshot 15-4 in the final frame, Shafer turned away all 15 Niagara shots that included ten shots on the power play in the third period.  In a span of over 12 minutes after RMU's fifth goal, the Purple Eagles managed to get 13 shots on Shafer without allowing a Colonial to record on shot on their goaltender.  Of those 13 saves made by Shafer, three came in quick succession as a Niagara player positioned himself in the crease and pounced on multiple pad saves made by Shafer.

With the victory, Shafer improves to 12-12-4 this season with a 2.74 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage.  The shutout was Shafer's third of his career and second this season as he shut out Army just five games ago on Jan. 31.  Shafer's two previous shutouts came with him making 23 and 24 saves, a combined total of 47 that he almost surpassed with his 44-save performance this evening.

Junior forward Cody Wydo (Southgate, Mich. / Motor City Metal Jackets) picked up a pair of assists in the victory, extending his points streak to seven games.  In those seven games, Wydo has accumulated six goals and eight assists for 14 points.

As a part of Military Appreciation Night, the Colonials donned special digital camo jerseys and Wydo took part in a ceremonial puck drop featuring his brother, Collin Wydo, who is a Lance Corporal with the United State Marines.

The Colonials remain in fifth place in Atlantic Hockey with the victory, only a single point behind Air Force and Connecticut who are tied for third place and four points ahead of Niagara who is currently in sixth place.

Two weekends of regular season action remain for Robert Morris and the Colonials will be back home on Friday, Feb. 21 to host Canisius in the first game of a home-and-home series with the Golden Griffins.  Faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at 84 Lumber Arena.