Pittsburgh, Pa. – The
Robert Morris University women's hockey team remedied last evening's slow start against the Lindenwood Lions and scored three straight en route to a 3-1 victory over the Lindenwood Lions in Game 2 of the College Hockey America (CHA) Tournament First Round best-of-three series Saturday afternoon at 84 Lumber Arena.
With the win, the number four seed Colonials (16-15-5) forced a third and final game with the number five seed Lions (9-23-4), which will determine the remaining semifinalist of the conference playoff series.
Three Colonials posted multi-point efforts in the victory. Redshirt sophomore
Brittany Howard and junior
Mackenzie Johnston each scored and dished an assist. Junior
Maeve Garvey added two helpers, and senior captain
Ashley Vesci netted the game-winning goal. Freshman goaltender
Lauren Bailey made 25 saves and earned her first career win in her first collegiate postseason start.
Robert Morris carried a 2-0 advantage into the third period and cushioned its lead with a Johnston power-play goal to put the home team ahead, 3-0. Lindenwood finally managed to score on Bailey with just under eight minutes remaining in the third period, but the freshman netminder, with help from the Colonials defense, stood tall and held onto the two-goal lead until time expired.
RMU opened the scoring at 3:44 in the second period, when Howard followed a loose puck along the boards and capitalized on a Lindenwood errant pass that ended up on Howard's stick and eventually landed in the Lions' net.
Despite a scoreless first period, it was evident from the start that Robert Morris was poised and ready to avenge its loss from the previous evening, as the Colonials edged the Lions in shots through the first 20 minutes of action, 11-8.
Robert Morris and Lindenwood will face off one last time on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 3 p.m. at 84 Lumber Arena. The winner will advance to the CHA Tournament semifinals, which will take place in the HarborCenter in Buffalo, N.Y.
Hot Streaks
Junior Mackenzie Johnston has scored a goal in her last three consecutive games.
Follow RMU Women's Hockey:
@RMUWHockey
@rmu_w_hockey
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