UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Although the No. 9
Robert Morris women's hockey team did not skate away with a win in its College Hockey America (CHA) opener, it left the Pegula Ice Arena with a victorious, if not familiar, feeling one week removed from its nationally renown buzzer-beater.
Another dramatic, late-period goal made the difference for the Colonials (5-1-1, 0-0-1), who tied a pesky Penn State (2-5-2, 0-0-1) squad, 3-3, Saturday afternoon. Junior defender
Kirsten Welsh buried her second of the season, and second of the game-tying variety, in highlight-reel fashion with 1:37 left in regulation to force overtime and, ultimately, give RMU a three-game unbeaten streak.
Robert Morris is now unbeaten, for that matter, in four straight games (2-0-2) inside the Nittany Lions' den.
Redshirt senior forward
Brittany Howard found Welsh, who drove to her left, navigating through three PSU counterparts, and beat the fourth, goaltender Hannah Ehresmann, on a backhander at the side of the net.
Howard, who has points in seven straight outings to open the season, continues to lead all active Colonials with 17 lifetime points (five goals, 12 assists) against the Nittany Lions.
Meanwhile, the Robert Morris defense, buoyed by Welsh, is the highest-scoring back end in the conference, now with a combined five goals and 22 points through Saturday. The Colonials, dating back to 2016-17, are now unbeaten in seven of their last eight games in which the Blackstock, Ontario native gets at least a point.
Ehresmann made an upset bid possible, finishing with 25 saves and denying the highest-scoring offense in CHA on several grade-A chances. At the other side, senior
Elijah Milne-Price kept RMU within reach on 28 saves, including some important ones in special-teams scenarios, and remains undefeated as a collegian with a 4-0-1 start to her 2017-18 campaign.
It looked like Milne-Price might have a comparatively easy day until midway through the second period, when the Lions started chopping wood. They killed off a Robert Morris power play, then Kelsey Crow scored on one of their own 12:40 into the middle frame.
Penn State tied the game in transition midway through the third, off the stick of Natalie Heising, before Meike Meilleur supplied the go-ahead tally less than three minutes later.
Robert Morris tilted the ice initially, taking a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. Sophomore winger and North Dakota transfer
Sarah Lecavalier deflected a hard blast from center point by CHA Rookie of the Week
Emily Curlett behind Ehresmann to open the scoring 8:31 into the contest with her second goal in as many games.
Another early-season positive for the visitors, the continued success of head coach
Paul Colontino's top line, presented itself five minutes afterward.
Amber Rennie buried her seventh of the year off a perfect backdoor feed from national assist leader
Jaycee Gebhard.
The Colonials look to get the extra point Sunday afternoon, with another 2:00 p.m. game against the host Lions.
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