PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The #17 Robert Morris University men's hockey team looks to keep the best start in program history rolling as they get back into action this week when they head to Erie Tuesday night for a mid-week showdown with the Mercyhurst Lakers.  

ROBERT MORRIS (11-3-0, 9-1-1 AHA) vs. MERCYHURST (4-5-1, 3-2-1-1 AHA)

Tuesday, January 19 at 5:05 PM in Erie, Pa. 

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LAST TIME OUT

The Colonials have been idle since their three-game sweep over Niagara two weekends ago, as series that saw RMU earn its sixth straight win and finish off a stretch of three wins in four days for the second week in a row. 

RMU won back-to-back overtime thrillers in the first two games courtesy of some sudden death heroics from Brendon Michaelian and Aidan Spellacy before a 6-2 rout of the Purple Eagles in the third and final game on Sunday. 

Justin Addamo led the way Sunday with three points (2G, 1A)

KNOW BOBBY MO

• The Colonials sit at 7-1-2-0 in Atlantic Hockey play, having won nine straight conference games since dropping the league opener against Canisius on 11/27. Their 25 points puts them atop the overall league standings through Sunday. Their 11-3 overall record is the best start in program history through 14 games.
• Junior Grant Hebert is RMU's current leading scorer with 17 points (5G, 12A) and has at least one point in ten of his last eleven games. Nick Prkusic and Randy Hernandez are both tied for second with 16 points each. 
• The Colonials ascended to the highest ranking in program history last week when they shot up to #17 overall in the USCHO Poll following the sweep of Niagara. It matches the previous program best ranking which RMU last enjoyed during the 2014-15 campaign. 
• Seven true freshman have seen action so far for Robert Morris this season, with Kyler Head, Randy Hernandez, Gavin Gulash, David Lafrance, Brian Kramer, Noah West and Matthew Guerra all drawing into the lineup. Hernandez currently leads the pack of rookies in overall scoring with 16 points including six goals, three of which have been game-winners. 
• Noah West has been superb so far in his rookie season in Moon Township, having started each of the last nine games in goal for RMU while posting a 7-2-0 record. The Pittsboro, IN native has been one of the best stoppers in the country this season and currently sits T-11th overall in NCAA in SV% (.931) amongst goalies who have played at least five games.
• Several Colonials are on pace for historic performances. Grant Hebert's current clip of 1.21 points per-game would rank 10th best in program history, while West's .931 SV% is currently tied for the highest mark all time in a single season (minimum 100 saves). With 16 points through 14 games, Randy Hernandez has a chance of breaking Chris Margott's single-season freshman scoring record of 27 set during the 2005-06 season.
• RMU boasts one of the most potent offenses in college hockey this year with 55 total goals scored, trailing only Bowing Green with 67 for most in NCAA. Junior Grant Hebert is currently tied for sixth overall in the country in scoring with 17 points in 14 games. 
• Junior pivot Aidan Spellacy has been RMU's most consistent performer in the dot so far this year, going 142-248 (57.2%) on face-offs through 14 games. Sophomore Santeri Hartikainen has also been excellent at 100-190 (52.6%).
• Robert Morris has been racking up the AHA hardware so far this season. Jordan Timmons was named AHA Player of the Week following his hat trick against Air Force, joining Nick Prkusic who also received the honor earlier this year. Additionally, Kyler Head was named Rookie of the Week opening weekend while both Nick Jenny and Nolan Schaeffer have been given Defensive Player of the Week honors. Prkusic and Hernandez were also named Best Player and Rookie for the month of November. Noah West has also enjoyed recognition from AHA, earning Rookie of Week, Rookie of the Month, and Goaltender of the Week honors in January. 
• RMU has done the honor of opening up the scoring in almost every game this season. The Colonials hold a remarkable 10-2 record when scoring first this year and have only given up the opening tally twice all season. 
• Kramer (Wexford) and Timmons (Bridgeville) add to RMU's long legacy of recruiting and training players from Western Pennsylvania.  Both are alumni of the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite program and join Tyler Love and Roman Kraemer in playing their college hockey in their own backyard. 
• Head Coach Derek Schooley returns behind the bench for his 17th season as head coach flanked by a pair of new faces in assistants Mike Corbett and Ryan Durocher.  Durocher joins Robert Morris after two seasons as an assistant with the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League, while Corbett brings nearly two decades of college coaching experience  with him having spent seven seasons as the head coach of the University of Alabama-Huntsville Chargers as well as another ten as an assistant at Air Force. 

SERIES HISTORY 

Tuesday night will be the first meeting between Mercyhurst and Robert Morris this season. 

RMU has traditionally fared well against the Lakers, owning a 7-2-1 overall mark against them in their last ten matchups including a 2-1-1 clip last season. 

Michael Coyne scored in OT to take down the Lakers on November 30th of 2019, the first three-on-three overtime goal in program history. 

SCOUTING THE LAKERS

At 4-5-1 overall and 3-2-1-1 in Atlantic Hockey play, Mercyhurst currently sits third overall on the AHA table with eleven points in six conference games. 

Idle since January 9, the Lakers completed a sweep over Air Force in their most recent action back on January 8 and 9, scoring eleven goals in two games on the Falcons. 

After finishing dead last in the conference last year, the Lakers have seen a resurgence in 2021 thanks in part to a dynamic group of young talent.  Freshman Carson Briere currently leads them in overall scoring with 10 points, and each of Mercyhurst's top-five scorers are underclassmen, induing three freshmen. 

THE SCHOOLEY FILE

One of the longest-tenured coaches at RMU, Schooley is entering his 17th season at the Robert Morris helm in 2020-21, carrying an overall record of 271-269-68 and a proud record of championship-level success in Division I men's hockey. The native of St. Louis led the Colonials to back-to-back Atlantic Hockey regular season titles in 2014-15 and 2015-16 and a postseason AHA title/NCAA tournament berth in 2014. In the eight-season span from 2012-20, Schooley's Colonials have averaged nearly 20 wins per season and have consistently placed 20-plus student-athletes on the AHA All-Academic team.

Schooley has spent the past two decades coaching college players, starting with assistant roles at Cornell and the Air Force Academy. During his time at Robert Morris, Schooley has had 75 players go on to play professionally, from the AHL and ECHL to various leagues across Europe. Nine former Colonials have participated in NHL training camps, with the most recent being all-time top RMU scorer Brady Ferguson at two Toronto Maple Leafs camps. On top of that, 19 RMU alums have taken part in NHL development/rookie camps.

MARCH WITH THE COLONIALS

In addition to reports and videos on RMUColonials.com, check out Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for news and updates throughout the season.

ON THE HORIZON

RMU faces RIT in their lone game this weekend, taking on the Tigers in Rochester Saturday at 5:00 p.m.