Pittsburgh, Pa. - Robert Morris University men's hockey used a trio of power play goals on a career night for freshman Francis Marotte, to take a 4-2 win over Sacred Heart. Sophomore Alex Tonge also recorded a career-high four points, scoring two goals and two assists, netting the eventual game-winner, 
 
Sacred Heart jumped on the board quickly with a goal by Jordan Minello just 21 seconds into the game. Evan Jasper is credited with an assist and Sacred Heart takes a 1-0 lead. Luke Lynch takes the first penalty of the game for the Colonials at the 37-second mark. With three penalties total in the first 6:38 of the game – two for RMU, one for SHU – the teams skated 5-on-5 for just 50 seconds in that timeframe.

RMU's top line extended its scoring streak to seven games on Tonge's goal with 6:28 remaining in the first. Daniel Leavens and Brady Ferguson earn assists on the goal, tying the game 1-1.
 
Robert Morris takes the lead in the second with a pair of power play goals. Ferguson scored with a snipe past Brett Magnus to put the Colonials up 2-1, 5:58 into the frame with assists to Timmy Moore and Tonge. The second goal of the game for Tonge came just past the midway point of the period, from Leavens after a faceoff win by Ferguson, giving RMU a two-goal advantage.
 
Marotte opened the third period with one of the better stops of his 41-save effort. The Pioneers' leading scorer Evan Jasper skated in alone on Marotte and ripped a shot that the Colonials freshman swiped up with his glove, preserving Robert Morris' two-goal lead.
 
Defenseman Eric Israel scored his third goal of the season on another power play at the 8:57 mark of the third. Israel scored for the first time since the first game at Sacred Heart, and is tied for 10th in the NCAA in scoring by defenseman, third nationally in power play points by a defenseman (9).
 
Sacred Heart added a goal with 3:20 remaining in the game, Minello's tenth of the season and second of the game, making the final 4-2 Colonials.

For Tonge, the career-high four points mark his seventh multi-point game, third three-plus point game, and fourth two-goal game of the season. Ferguson also tallied his seventh multipoint game of the season with a goal and two assists. Leavens notched three assists, marking his third three-point game of the year, with eight of his 18 points coming against Sacred Heart. 

The Colonials blocked 23 shots with Alex Bontje and Timmy Moore registering four blocks apiece. Moore picked up his seventh point of the season with his assist.

 

Robert Morris was 3-for-7 on the power play and 9-for-9 on the penalty kill, with Spencer Dorowicz contributing a solid effort clearing the puck on the kill, also recording six shots offensively, matching a game-high six shots by Leavens and Tonge. SHU outshot the Colonials 43-35.

Marotte's victory is his sixth of the season, bringing his record to 6-2-1.

The Colonials (7-4-2, 5-3-1 AHC) face off for the final time in the regular season with Sacred Heart on Saturday at 5:05pm at the 84 Lumber Arena. The first 800 fans will receive an RMU tumbler (cup) sponsored by Alpern Wealth Management. Tickets are available at RMUtickets.com or by calling 412-397-4949.

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