Women's Hockey | 10/5/2018 6:50:00 AM
PITTSBURGH -- The
Robert Morris women's hockey team meets the top-ranked Golden Knights of Clarkson University Friday and Saturday for one of its most challenging non-conference series in recent history. The openings faceoffs from Cheel Arena in Potsdam, New York are scheduled for 6:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. EDT, respectively.
Eight of the team's 12 remaining non-conference games in 2018-19 feature opponents who were nationally ranked in the final polls of the 2017-18 season, including the two-time NCAA women's national champions. Clarkson is the easternmost school ever to win a women's Division I title.
Robert Morris (1-1-0) at No. 1/1 Clarkson (2-0-0) - Oct. 5-6, 2018
Fri., Oct. 5 (6:00 p.m.) - LIVE STREAM ($) | LIVE STATS
Sat., Oct. 6 (3:00 p.m.) - LIVE STREAM ($) | LIVE STATS
The lone victory over the Knights in program history was a 3-1 RMU win at the Island Sports Center Oct. 19, 2007.
Chelsea Walkland got a second-period equalizer, and Alissa Dorman had the game-winner with 11:21 left in the third.
The Colonials are unbeaten in nine of their last ten versus the ECAC (6-1-3).
Key Notes
• Robert Morris is coming off its first win of 2018-19, a 3-2 overtime triumph over St. Lawrence at Colonials Arena.
Mackenzie Krasowski scored her first collegiate goal, also the first RMU goal of the regular season, 2:54 into the second period.
Gillian Thompson earned her first career point on the assist.
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Lauren Bailey started both games in the season-opening series and was credited with the victory, her first since Oct. 8, 2017 at Mankato, on 17 saves.
• RMU is about to face a top-ranked team for the 16th time in team history, and the first time in the regular season since Nov. 19-20, 2010, when it hosted Wisconsin. The last time the Colonials met No. 1 was also against the Badgers, in their first-ever NCAA Quarterfinal game on Mar. 11, 2017.
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Amber Rennie,
Kirsten Welsh and
Maggie LaGue are the first tri-captains in program history. Ten different players have now worn the "C" under
Paul Colontino. Gebhard was named the lone assistant captain, and she celebrated with assists on the second and game-winning Robert Morris goals Saturday.
• With her game-winning goal 2:51 into OT versus the Saints Sept. 29, Welsh took sole possession of tenth place on the all-time RMU goals chart (29). Dating back to the 2016-17 season, Robert Morris is unbeaten in 21 of the past 23 games in which Welsh has registered a point.
• Welsh played an integral role in the last meeting between these teams, a 3-3 tie between RMU and No. 5 Clarkson during the Windjammer Classic in Burlington, Vermont Nov. 25, 2016. She forced overtime with a 6-on-4 power play goal with :30 left in regulation, she opened the scoring for Robert Morris on the PP with 7:09 left in the first and
Brittany Howard's deflection of her shot as time ran out in the second period brought the teams to a 2-2 tie.
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Emily Curlett was named the RMU Athletics Student-Athlete of the Week. Her first goal of the season tied the game against SLU Sept. 29 with 7:55 left in the second period, and she matched her career high with six blocked shots.
• The Colonials received votes in the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Division I Polls. This was the 43rd straight USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll in which they, minimally, received votes since Nov. 1, 2016, and they have gotten votes in 38 of 40 USCHO polls since Nov. 7, 2016.
Worth The Wait
• Robert Morris went 3-0-4 in overtime in 2017-18. After its win over St. Lawrence Sept. 29, the Colonials are unbeaten in their last 13 trips through the sudden-victory period (5-0-8), dating back to a 3-3 finish on Oct. 22, 2016 at Merrimack.
New Kid On The Block
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Emily Curlett led all CHA defenders with 70 blocked shots, second among NCAA rookies, and her +20 topped the plus/minus ratings of all first-year players in the conference. Her goal Feb. 10 versus Lindenwood set a new RMU single-season record for first-year blue-liners.
You Feel Shame For Two Minutes, And Then You Get Free
• RMU killed off all 11 penalties in its Nov. 25, 2016 meeting with Clarkson, and it opened 2018-19 with a streak of five successful penalty kills. When the Colonials beat CHA rival Syracuse Jan. 5, it was their first win in program history that came without committing a penalty.
Signature Win
• Robert Morris ended last November with an upset of then-No. 5 Ohio State Nov. 25, 2017, its first win over a ranked team since Jan. 18, 2014 and first on home ice since Nov. 9, 2013. Ohio State was the highest-ranked foe Robert Morris had beaten since a 2-1 win Dec. 8, 2012 versus No. 4/5 Mercyhurst.
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