PITTSBURGH -- Between a three-game losing streak and a 13-day gap between games, the Robert Morris University men's hockey team built up a hunger that Thanksgiving dinner couldn't possibly dent.

The Colonials got some satisfaction not long after the holiday, though, riding a two-goal second period to a 3-1 defeat of Atlantic Hockey Association rival Mercyhurst on Friday night at the RMU Island Sports Center. 

Jacob Coleman netted the tiebreaking goal midway through the second period, Eric Israel added a remarkable insurance tally and goalie Francis Marotte keyed a 7-for-8 penalty-killing performance to help deliver RMU's fourth win of the season. The Colonials (4-6-1) improved to 3-3-1 in AHA play and 4-4-1 on home ice, leading into a rematch with the Lakers on Saturday evening in Erie, Pa.

In downing a Mercyhurst team that had been unbeaten (4-0-1) in November, RMU very much resembled the relentless squad that opened its season six weeks ago with a win over No. 20 Bowling Green.

"That's our M.O.," head coach Derek Schooley said. "We want to play with speed and we want to play heavy down low and take pucks to the net."

It was exactly that sort of play that produced RMU's first goal, as freshman center Aidan Spellacy extended his goal-scoring streak to two after an extended shift by the fourth line. Schooley said Spellacy's line with junior Michael Coyne and senior Kyle Horsman on the wings was key in getting the Colonials going after their first off week of the season.

Coleman said part of the Colonials' approach included a focus on making sure to not feed the Mercyhurst transition game.

"We knew we had to get pucks deep," said Coleman, who extended his scoring streak to two after going nine scoreless games to start the season. "Once we did, I think we worked well. We found 'D' up top and guys in the soft areas. ... When we had the puck in the 'O' zone, I think we controlled it pretty well."

Friday's triumph also extended an interesting trend: The Colonials have gone 4-1-1 on the opening game of a weekend, with the only loss occurring at then-No. 8 Penn State.

Marotte's rebound proved critical in yet another positive result on a Friday. The junior Mike Richter Award nominee stopped 32 shots, highlighted by explosive pushes across the crease to deny top Mercyhurst guns Derek Barach and Matthew Whittaker in the third period.

"I felt good," Marotte said. "I kept it simple. It was about going in there and making the first save and then making the next one and keep rolling with it."

Marotte was also complimentary of the penalty killers in front of him. Seemingly everyone on the ice got into the shot-blocking act in a frantic third period that featured four penalty kills for RMU, but that was only part of the reason for the PK success.

"Anytime there was a shot coming through, they made sure they got the rebound out of the way," Marotte said. "So that's the biggest thing. If I can see the puck and they can clean up the rebounds, that gives us the best chance to kill them off."

Schooley quibbled with his team's discipline in the third, with all four penalties taken by freshmen. There were some close calls, too, with Coleman just barely keeping a rebound shot out of the net -- confirmed by replay -- and a would-be goal by Whittaker wiped out due to a hand pass ... again via replay.

In the end, though, the coach didn't hold back on his joy in seeing Marotte back to his confident, reliable self.

"I've got complete faith in him," Schooley stated. "We've had complete faith in him. We haven't lost our faith in him. ... He's here and he's an all-league goalie for a reason."

It didn't hurt that, for the first time since a 3-1 win over Niagara on Nov. 2, the Colonials didn't have to chase the game from the start. Spellacy's second goal in as many games capped a terrific shift by RMU's fourth line and put the home side ahead 11 minutes into the game. Michael Coyne made the decisive pass from behind the net after several seconds of cycling below the hash marks.

Mercyhurst's Josh Lemmon tied the score with just under a minute to play before intermission, deflecting Barach's point shot during the Lakers' first power play.

The Colonials misfired on its first advantage early in the second, but they eventually cashed in during a special-teams situation, as Coleman tipped Nick Jenny's four-on-four wrister under goalie Stefano Cantali's glove at 11:18.

RMU killed a pair of Mercyhurst power plays by drawing penalties of their own, then put the pedal down with another four-on-four goal in the final second of the period.

With time ticking under 10 seconds, Israel crept to the side of the net as Sean Giles' shot went wide. A lively bounce off the end wall gave Israel an opening for a spectacular finish, as he tapped the puck to himself for a baseball-style whack. A video review confirmed Israel's second goal of the year did indeed beat the buzzer, giving the Colonials two last-second goals in their first 11 games.

Aided by spending half the third period on the power play, Mercyhust (5-6-2, 3-3-1 AHA) outshot RMU 14-8 in the final frame. But the Colonials -- despite missing senior captain Brandon Watt, junior defenseman Alex Robert and freshman center Grant Hebert from their lineup -- successfully converted a 40-minute lead for the fourth time in four tries.

Saturday's faceoff at the Mercyhurst Ice Center is set for 7:05 p.m. as the Colonials will go for their first series sweep of the season. They have won five of seven against their in-state rivals.

"I think we made some mistakes, but we covered them up, obviously," Marotte said. "I think we're going into Mercyhurst pretty confident."