Pittsburgh, Pa. –  A two-goal first period inevitably sunk Robert Morris University men's hockey in a 2-1 loss to Mercyhurst on Friday night at Colonials Arena.

The night began with a tribute and moment of silence to honor the life of former men's hockey associate head coach Mark Workman, who passed away this week following a battle with cancer.

Robert Morris' first line started the game and nearly took the Colonials from the moment of silence to a moment of jubilation. Brady Ferguson and Alex Tonge raced in towards Lakers' netminder Brandon Wildung but aired the puck past the open cage, on the first shift of the game.

It was Mercyhurst that struck first when Bryan Sienerth slid a puck through the feet of several players and under the pads of Colonials goaltender Francis Marotte.
With time winding down in the first, the Lakers power play and Derek Barach managed to tuck the puck behind Marotte from a sharp side-angle with just one second remaining in the period, to put Mercyhurst up 2-0.

Robert Morris worked its way back in the second period. After the Lakers Jack Riley committed a major penalty, checking Spencer Dorowicz from behind, sending him hard into the boards.

The Colonials didn't convert on the man-advantage -- the only RMU power play opportunity of the game -- but seconds after the five-minute major penalty expired, RMU pulled within one. Sophomore defenseman Sean Giles ripped a shot from the top of the left circle, directed into the goal by Mike Louria for his 12th tally of the season, with 9:10 remaining in the period. Dorowicz earned an assist on the goal, his eighth of the year, the fifth of the season for Giles.

The 2-1 score held into the third period. With 16:17 to play, blocker save by Marotte on point blank shot by Kane Elliot, holding things at 2-1.

Neither team would add another tally, despite a strong push by the Colonials with an extra attacker for the final 1:44.

The Colonials were outshot 15-6 in the first period and blocked 13 shots in the frame as well. RMU powered back in the second, outshooting the Lakers 12-6, and again 9-8 in the third. Robert Morris had 21 blocks and Marotte wrapped up the night with 27 saves.

Junior defenseman Eric Israel led the Colonials 21-block effort with five blocked shots and is ranked ninth in the NCAA with 65 on the season. Defensive partners Robert Powers and Giles each tallied three blocks. Nine different players blocked shots for the Colonials including seven players with multiple blocks. 

Robert Morris (13-16-2, 12-11-2 AHC) is tied with Army West Point with 26 points in the conference standings, behind Holy Cross, which has 28, and Canisius and Mercyhurst, now tied for first place with 30 points.

The Colonials travel to Erie, Pa. for a 7:05 p.m. rematch with the Lakers at the Mercyhurst ice Center on Saturday.

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