Pittsburgh, Pa. - Robert Morris University men's hockey returns to Atlantic Hockey action with a two-game road series against Sacred Heart. The Colonials (3-3-2, 2-3-1 AHC) are coming off a win and tie in non-conference play versus then-11th ranked Ohio State. The Pioneers (2-4-2, 1-2-0 AHC) are also coming off a non-conference game, a 2-2 tie with New Hampshire.

Saturday, November 12, 3:05pm at Northford Ice Pavillion, Northford, CT
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Sunday, November 13, 3:05pm at Webster Bank Arena, Bridgeport, CT
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Complete Game Notes (.pdf)

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
A duo of Colonials took home Atlantic Hockey honors this week. Sophomore forward Alex Tonge is the Player of the Week. Freshman Luke Lynch is Rookie of the Week. Tonge scored two goals and an assist in Friday's win over #11 Ohio State, finishing his 4-point weekend with an assist Saturday. Lynch nabbed two assists Friday before a big Saturday, scoring his first career goal on a penalty shot & the game-tying goal shorthanded.

OCTOBER OFFENSE
Brady Ferguson was the Atlantic Hockey Conference Player of the Month for October, leading the league in scoring with 10 points on 5 goals and 5 assists. 

FAST FRANKY
Freshman goaltender Francis Marotte holds a 3-1-1 record, making four starts. Marotte has the highest save percentage among all rookie goaltenders, the best of the six rookies in the NCAA's top ten. Marotte has stopped 140 of 148 shots and is second in the AHC with a .946 save percentage & 1.69 GAA. Francis Marotte is 3rd in NCAA hockey in save percentage, seventh in GAA and 13th in win percentage at .700

POWER UP
RMU's power play is 5th in the nation & 2nd in Atlantic Hockey (28.6 %). Robert Morris is tied with AIC for the league lead in power play goals with 12. RMU is tied for 6th in the NCAA in power play points with 36 (12 goals, 24 assists). Brady Ferguson (2G, 5A) & Eric Israel (1G, 6A) are tied for 6th in the NCAA in power play scoring.

OFFENSIVE DEFENSEMAN
Eric Israel is the nation's second-highest scoring defenseman with 11 points (2G, 9A) in 8 games played, and leads NCAA defenseman, scoring 1.38 points per game.

QUICK ON THE DRAW
Ferguson (55.9%) & freshman Daniel Mantenuto (54.4%) lead RMU in faceoffs. Ferguson is 8th in the league in faceoff percentage but has won more draws than anyone in Atlantic Hockey (118 wins, 93 losses). Only Bentley's Max French has taken more faceoffs (117 wins, 107 losses, 52.2%)

KINGS OF THE ROAD
20 of RMU's 27 goals have on the road, along with two of the team's three wins.

COMEBACK KIDS
Robert Morris has scored 18 of its 27 goals while trailing and has only scored the first goal of the game twice, but have finished strong, scoring the last goal of the game in seven of eight games played. 

NCAA CAREER RANKINGS
Ferguson: 28th in Points, 37th in Goals, 41st in Assists, 23rd in Power Play Goals
Izyk: 50th in save % (.912), 12th in win % (.708), 13th in shutouts (5)
Leavens: 52nd in Points, 49th in Goals, 64th in Assists, 70th in Power Play Goals

CHASING 200
Head Coach Derek Schooley is six wins away from 200 career victories with a 194-196-56 overall record.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
C.J. Marottolo is in his 8th season as Pioneers head coach. Sacred Heart was picked seventh in the preseason coaches poll and is coming off its third straight season with double digit wins, finishing 13-20-4 last year.

The Pioneers are currently 10th in Atlantic Hockey with a 1-2-0 record in league play. SHU is tenth in the league in scoring at 1.88 goals per game, seventh in goals allowed with a 3.50 avg. The Pioneers are tenth in the league in power play percentage, converting on 8.9 percent of chances. SHU's penalty kill is third in the league at 87.5 percent. The Pios have scored ten even strength goals, four on the power play and one shorthanded.

Sacred Heart has had its offense clicking better as games progress, scoring 6 goals in the second period and 7 in the third, compared to just two in the first. Senior forward Jeff Carroll currently leads the Pioneers in scoring with 6 points on two goals and four assists. Senior forward Evan Jaspar is the team's leading goal-scorer with 4 goals (1A), while sophomore defenseman Liam Clare is the leader on assists, dishing 5 helpers thus far. Jaspar has proved to be a threat against the Colonials, scoring 2 goals and 3 assists in four games against RMU in 2015-16. Senior forward Justin Danforth led the Pioneers in scoring with 41 points on 20 goals and 21 assists last season, and has a goal and three assists so far this year.

Sophomore Brett Magnus leads the way in goal, starting six games, posting a 3.19 GAA and .891 save % to go with his 2-3-1 record. Junior Nathan Perry has started two games, recording a loss and a tie, with a .905 save % and 3.26 GAA.

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