Pittsburgh, Pa. – Robert Morris University men's hockey got back in the win column with a 5-2 victory over I-79 rival Mercyhurst on Saturday night. Senior forward Brady Ferguson led the way for the Colonials, scoring the game-winning goal as part of a four-point night, moving him into third place all-time in scoring at RMU.
 
The Colonials jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, taking the early advantage for the third consecutive game. Brady Ferguson used some fancy stick work driving to the net, with Timmy Moore collecting the finish for his second goal and 12^th point of the season, giving RMU the 1-0 lead. Eric Israel earned an assist on the goal, feeding the puck up ice to Ferguson.

Five seconds after a Colonials power play expired, Ferguson passed the puck from the point to Moore on the doorstep, who found Mike Louria in the left circle, firing home his eighth goal of the season to put RMU in front 2-0.

Robert Morris nearly escaped the period unscathed, but Mercyhurst found the back of the net with 47 seconds left in the frame. Jonathan Charbonneau found Taylor Best and sniped home his fifth goal of the season to make it a 2-1 game.

The Colonials came out on fire in the second period, firing ten shots and 15 shot attempts in the first 9:46 of the period.
With a two-man advantage, Mercyhurst stole that some of that momentum back. Charbonneau potted his sixth goal of the season with five seconds remaining in the 5-on-3 to tie the game 2-2 with 6:44 remaining in the second period.



With the game tied 2-2 heading to the third, the Colonials came out strong once again. Alex Tonge dropped a pass back to Ferguson as he was skating to the left circle and sniped the puck past the Lakers' Brandon Wildung for his ninth goal of the season to regain the lead for Robert Morris, 3-2, just 1:23 into the frame.

Francis Marotte had several key saves in the game, and kept the Lakers from tying things up on a quick breakaway opportunity by Joshua Lammon with 9:05 remaining.
Moments later, Tonge worked the puck off the board with a slick pass touched up by Moore and onto the stick of Ferguson who launched the puck past Wildung for his second goal of the game and fourth point of the night, to put RMU up 4-2 with 7:32 remaining.

With five minutes remaining, Mercyhurst had a power play and pulled its goaltender. Battling for the puck, Spencer Dorowicz shielded a Lakers player while Luke Lynch jumped up and took the puck away from Mercyhurst, skating the length of the ice to chip in the empty net goal, his tenth of the season, capping the scoring at 5-2.

Marotte made 35 saves for his sixth win of the season (6-7-1). The Colonials defense blocked 23 shots, led by Israel's 7 blocks and 5 from Elias Ghantous. The defensive pair not only combined for more than half the blocked shots, but were both a plus-three on the night, along with Moore, Tonge and Ferguson.

The four-point night from Ferguson moved him past Chris Margott '09 and Nathan Longpre '11 for sole possession of third all-time in scoring in RMU history with 138 career points.

Moore also recorded a multi-point effort, matching a career-high three point effort with a goal and two assists. Israel and Tonge also had two assists.

"I thought we played a complete game, minus a few minutes in the second period," said head coach Derek Schooley. "but our 'believe' factor was there throughout the whole game. If we can play that way, I like that hockey team a lot."

Robert Morris (6-11-1, 6-7-1 AHC) will face Mercyhurst (7-8-2, 4-5-2 AHC) again Sunday afternoon at 4:05pm in Erie, Pa. at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.

Sunday. Dec. 17, 4:05pm  //  Mercyhurst Ice Center, Erie, Pa.
LIVE VIDEO  //  RMU AUDIO  //  LIVE STATS

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