PITTSBURGH -- A number of familiar faces led the
Robert Morris women's hockey team to a comfortable win in its annual preseason game, while a number of less familiar faces showed they could be effective leaders going forward.
Three members of its unique four-player leadership group got on the board, and local sophomore
Anjelica Diffendal potted a pair of goals that bookended a 6-1 victory over the Ontario Institute of Technology at the RMU Island Sports Center Saturday night.
The Robinson Township native skated on a line centered by fellow sophomore
Emilie Harley and flanked by rookie
Mackenzie Krasowski, who collected her first unofficial goal and assist in a Colonials uniform. Krasowski, one of two Toronto Jr. Aeros alumnae in this year's freshman class, took a puck below the goal line, dragged it right to left in front of goaltender Celine Tessier and beat her with a wrist shot for a 4-0 RMU lead.
It came just 1:28 after assistant captain
Jaycee Gebhard had earned a gritty goal from her backside, on which another first-year forward,
Courtney Kollman, got the primary assist.
"It's an unreal feeling. I'm speechless," Krasowski beamed afterward. "The play was just all hard work by my linemates and the 'D.' Jell (Diffendal) got the puck in the corner, we had a little give-and-go, and I just waited for the goalie to go down and I put it up top."
Although the name of the back of uniform No. 18 has changed, what did not change, on this night, was the ability of Robert Morris to generate offense from its defense, one of its strongest suits in '17-'18. Briar Hughes, the first goalie to see action for UOIT, got a piece of a first-period slap shot by 2018 All-CHA Rookie Team honoree
Emily Curlett that Diffendal batted out of midair on the rebound for a 1-0 lead 6:45 into the contest.
On what proved to be their only power play chance of the night, senior blue-liner and tri-captain
Kirsten Welsh, set up by
Lexi Templeman, blasted her trademark one-timer past Hughes from center point to make it a 2-0 game with just over nine minutes to play in the first. RMU went on to outshoot the Ridgebacks 15-4 for the period.
"This was a great first game for us," said Welsh, a Third Team All-USCHOÂ selection as a junior. "UOITÂ came out hard...but we just played really well as a team."
A retooled defensive corps that had rookie
Wasyn Rice skating alongside Curlett, fellow newcomer
Gillian Thompson paired with sophomore
Morgan Schauer and junior
Sarah Lecavalier playing the position for the first time since transferring into the program went 3-for-3 on the penalty kill and held their Canadian counterparts to 15 shots altogether.
Senior tri-captain
Maggie LaGue saw limited time on the back end, but another former North American Hockey Academy standout, goaltender
Arielle DeSmet, stepped into the spotlight in her RMU debut. She led all Colonials with seven saves after relieving senior and goalie-of-record
Lauren Bailey.
"Even 'Crash' (Lecavalier), who, to me, is a rookie defender, because it's her first game on defense, absolutely killed it, same with Gillian and Wasyn as well," said Welsh. "They honestly did their best."
Gebhard fed fellow Saskatchewanian and senior tri-captain
Amber Rennie, who went five-hole for the fifth Robert Morris goal before the Ridgebacks finally cracked the goose egg with 8:06 left in regulation, on the Nicole Zabel deflection of a Jillian Banks shot from up high.
RMU answered less than four minutes later, when Krasowski set up a one-timer by
Morgan Schauer that Diffendal, her former Pens Elite teammate, tipped under the pads of Brooke Vial.
"You get the rust off, for sure," said head coach
Paul Colontino, assessing the yearly exhibition. "When it's been six months since you've played in a game, you just need to get some of that pent-up energy out. You're just trying to work out all those minor details to take into the next game, when you start your NCAA season, and you want to be on top of things."
Robert Morris will be back on Colonials Arena ice to open its 2018-19 regular season with a non-conference series against St. Lawrence next Friday and Saturday. The opening faceoffs are scheduled for 7:05 and 3:05 p.m. EDT, respectively.
Fans can call 412-397-4949 for ticket information.
Follow the Colonials: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Snapchat
