Henrietta, NY – Robert Morris men's hockey captured a 4-0 victory over Rochester Institute of Technology behind a record-tying 37-save shutout by senior goaltender and Penfield, NY native Terry Shafer.

The Colonials took the game's first lead 5:56 into the opening frame. Brandon Denham freed the puck from RIT, passing to David Friedmann who carried it up the ice. Friedmann passed to Spencer Dorowicz on the doorstep where the sophomore forward knocked home his second goal of the season giving RMU a 1-0 lead. Shafer stood tall in net in the first stopping 19 shots as the Tigers outshot Robert Morris 19-10.



It didn't take long for the Colonials to make it a 2-0 game. Brady Ferguson scored his eighth goal of the season, team-high fourth power play goal, assisted by Denham and Chase Golightly. Just like RMU capitalized early in the frame, it capitalized late as well. Alex Tonge worked to keep the puck in the zone, handing it off to Tyson Wilson, who put the puck right on the stick of Greg Gibson in front of the net. Gibson scored his tenth goal of the season giving the Colonials a 3-0 lead after two periods of play. The Robert Morris defense limited RIT to just seven shots in the second, outshooting the Tigers 14-7.

The Colonials fought off RIT's power play twice in the third period, with the Tigers outshooting RMU 11-9 in the frame. With 3:32 to play, Matt Cope found Zac Lynch and the Pittsburgh native senior scored the fourth and final goal of the night, extending his goal-scoring streak to 6 games.

Shafer held off the Tigers the rest of the way to clinch his fifth career shutout with 37 saves, tying the program shutout record held by Dalton Izyk and Eric Levine. Shafer's shutout marks the first time Robert Morris has ever shut out RIT at home, as RMU's only previous shutout against the Tigers was February 8, 2013 in Pittsburgh with Eric Levine in net.
The shutout victory for Shafer was especially meaningful coming in his hometown area of Rochester.

"I'd be lying to you if I told you there wasn't an emotional element to that game for me," said Shafer. "I had twenty of my family in the stands. Grandparents, great-aunt, they're in their mid-eighties so it was just really special for me tonight to have my family here and for our team to get the win, that's the most important thing."

Friday's 4-0 victory earns RMU two points in the Atlantic Hockey conference standings, giving the Colonials a league-leading 17 points, three ahead of second-place Holy Cross. Robert Morris (8-2-3, 7-1-3 AHC) is back in action against RIT Saturday at 7:05pm in Rochester.
 
THREE STARS
1. Terry Shafer
2. Greg Gibson
3. Zac Lynch