ERIE, Pa. - The #17 Robert Morris Colonials suffered their first regulation conference loss since November 27 Saturday with a 7-5 defeat at Mercyhurst.
Despite the Colonials erasing a three-goal deficit in the second-period, the Lakers scored the go-ahead goal on the power-play midway through the third to come away with the win.
After a defensive slog against the Lakers on Tuesday that saw the host team block over 20 shots, the Colonials attacked the dirty areas of the ice with a renewed focus to start the game Saturday.
It didn't take long for the strategy to pay dividends. Kyler Head crashed the crease and banged home a loose puck off of a goalmouth scramble in front of Hank Johnson to give RMU a 1-0 cushion just 5:34 into the game.
The Lakers managed a quick response, evening things up midway through the first after a spinning shot low on the ice from Kennan Steward seemed to handcuff Noah West as it snuck just inside the far post to make it 1-1.
The Colonials defense continued to activate and join the rush in an attempt to generate more chances, and before the period was out they'd restored the lead after Brendon Michaelian finished off a wrap-around to make it 2-1 Colonials after 20 minutes.
The momentum continued to swing as Mercyhurst evened it up again just 53 seconds into the second when a nice keep at the offensive blue line by the Lakers led to a Dante Sherriff ripper from the slot that beat West high glove.
They'd earn their first lead of the night just over seven minutes later when Cade Townend finished off a wrap-around of his own for his second goal of the year.
The lead seemed to ignite a second gear for the Lakers, who rattled off two more quick tallies to make it 5-2 and seemingly put MU in the driver's seat.
In one of the wildest sequences the Colonials have been a part of all year, RMU potted three goals in just over four minutes to erase the three-goal deficit and head into the locker rooms even at five apiece.
Cameron Hebert scored in his second straight game after he pounced on a loose puck that Johnson thought he had covered up to make it 5-3.
Nick Prkusic made it a one-goal game with a backhander in front of the net before Santeri Hartikainen brought RMU all the way back on the power play.
Mercyhurst gained the lead back with a power-play goal with just over twelve minutes to play with a PPG, and despite a desperate push from RMU, added an empty netter with seconds top play to secure the 7-5 victory.
SCORING PLAYS
Head, 5:34, 1st - Assists: Clegg
Stewart, 12:33, 1st - Unassisted
Michaelian, 17:49, 1st - Unassisted
Sheriff, 00:51, 2nd - Assists: Heidemann, Maziarz
Townend, 7:27, 2nd - Assists: Briere, Heidemann
Maziarz, 10:33, 2nd - Unassisted
Bevilacqua, 12:37, 2nd - Unassisted
C. Hebert, 13:38, 2nd - Assists: Hernandez, Prkusic
Prkusic, 16:28, 2nd (PP) - Unassisted
Hartikainen, 17:56, 2nd (PP) - Assists: Jenny, Lalonde
Bendorf, 7:35, 3rd (PP) - Assists: Spagnuolo, Feduolov
Maust, 19:31, 3rd (EN) - Assists: Feduolov
QUICK HITS
Most goals surrendered by RMU since a 7-0 loss to Michigan Tech on 10/6/19…Nick Prkusic is now RMU's leading scorer with 18 points…Cameron Hebert scored for the second straight game…Mercyhurst blocked 20 shots to RMU's four…Colonials finished 2-4 on the power play
NEXT UP
RMU plays its third straight against the Lakers when they host Mercyhurst next Saturday, January 30 at Clearview Arena.
