PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The Robert Morris University women's hockey team won its fourth straight game Friday afternoon at Clearview Arena, taking down the visiting RIT Tigers, 5-0.
Maggy Burbidge scored twice on the power play while the Colonials limited RIT to just 22 shots on Raygan Kirk, who posted her second shutout of the year.
The Colonials did an excellent job of making the neutral zone impenetrable for RIT in the opening frame, bottling up the Tiger breakout and hemming them in their zone for extended periods of time.
While RMU was not able to immediately turn the pressure into offense, a holding call of RIT gave the Colonials an early power-play and RMU took advantage.
Burbidge put RMU up 1-0 9:33 into the first, poking home an Emilie Harley blast that just snuck through the wickets of Emma Stephen for their first power play goal in four games.
A fantastic save from Raygan Kirk on a breakaway punctuated what was a very complete first for the Colonials.
The Tigers managed to put a bit more pressure on Kirk to start the second, however the sophomore stopper held firm, stopping a pair of quick chances from Lindsay Maloney in tight to keep it a 1-0 lead.
Burbidge struck again on the player-advantage near the midway mark of the second to make it 2-0, tipping in a shot from the side of the net on a play that looked a lot like the first one she scored to open things up.
Two more quick tallies from the Colonials helped to blow the game open in the second.
First, Kyleigh Hanzlik roofed a quick backhander in the slot top shelf over Stephen's shoulder to make it a 3-0 lead.
Emily Curlett made it a four-spot with her third goal of the season, ripping a one-timer from the left circle after a nice dish from Anna Fairman that beat the keeper about a foot off the ice.
Michaela Boyle added a fifth goal for good measure midway through the third to make it a no-doubt victory for RMU.
SCORING PLAYS
Burbidge, 9:33, 1st (PP) - Assists: Harley, Boyle
Burbidge, 6:23, 2nd (PP) - Assists: Templeman, Harley
Hanzlik, 14:10, 2nd - Assists: Diffendal, Fiala
Curlett, 16:10, 2nd - Assists: Fairman, Marino
Boyle, 8:30, 3rd - Assists: Curlett, Burbidge
QUICK HITS
Burbidge posted a career-best three points (2G, 1A)…Emily Curlett is now eight points away from tying Maggie LaGue on the all-time defensive scoring list…second shutout this season for Kirk…RMU power-play finished 2-4
QUOTABLES
"It was nice to get some different goals today. We had two on the power play and then three at even-strength, all of which were kind of different so it was nice to see us generate some different looks. We were only up 1-0 after the first and it's still a one-shot game, so it was nice to come out and score a few more and put some distance between us." - Head Coach Paul Colontino
NEXT UP
RMU wraps up the weekend series with the Tigers tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. at Clearview Arena.
