LEWISTON, N.Y. - Brendon Michaelian scored the game-tying and game-winning overtime goal Thursday night as the No. 20 Robert Morris University men's ice hockey team downed Niagara 3-2 to win their seventh straight Atlantic Hockey game.
The goals were the first of the 2020-21 season for the junior blueliner as the Colonials earn their ninth win in the twelfth game of the season, the fastest mark in program history.
The line of Nick Prkusic, Matthew Guerra, and Randy Hernandez made an impact just minutes after puck drop Thursday, showcasing some serious chemistry for the second straight game since being put together.
Some disruptive forechecking by Hernandez helped cause a turnover at the Niagara blue line before the freshman split two defenders for a breakaway off the failed exit for the Purple Eagles.
Hernandez put his effort off the crossbar but a trailing Guerra was only steps behind and in great position to slam the rebound into a wide-open net on the follow up.
Despite the Colonials nearly making it 2-0 on the power-play minutes later and controlling the first period shots 13-9, Niagara restored the tie with 29 seconds to go in the opening frame when Eric Cooley followed up a broken play at the RMU blue line by sliding a rebound inside the near post on West after a frantic scramble at the goalmouth.
The Purple Eagles managed to flip the script even more to start the second, deflecting a point shot past West less than four minutes in to make it 2-1 and put the Colonials behind in a conference game for the first time since the AHA opener against Canisius on 11/27.
The Colonials searched for an answer to stem the Niagara momentum, earning a a number of good looks in the middle frame including a post hit from Jenny, however they went into the locker rooms after 40 minutes in what's been an unfamiliar position for much of this season, trailing 2-1.
Despite the deficit, the Colonials buckled down for the final frame and soon got rewarded for their efforts.
Michaelian's point shot on a delayed penalty somehow made its way through a maze of bodies in front, sliding under Mike Corson's pad to give the blue liner his first goal of the season and restore the tie for RMU.
The Purple Eagles put on some more pressure late in the third, however Noah West came up with a pair of big stops as time expired on regulation and both teams secured a point.
It didn't take long for the Colonials to end things at three-on-three.
Prkusic broke into the NU zone on a 2-on-1 rush with Hernandez, saucing over a perfect pass to the freshman who tapped it to an open Michaelian coming down the slot.
The Michigan native buried the wide open look to wrap up the second two-goal game of his career and extend the Colonials conference win streak to seven games.
SCORING PLAYS
Guerra, 4:12, 1st - Assists: Hernandez
Cooley, 19:31, 1st - Assists: Sommer, Billings
Edgerton, 3:17, 2nd - Assists: Harpur, Brandt
Michaelian, 4:58, 3rd - Assists: Love, Hebert
Michaelian, 1:04, OT - Assists: Hernandez, Prkusic
QUICK HITS
First OT game of the season for RMU…first career OT winner for Michaelian…RMU improves to 8-2 when scoring first this season…Hernandez and Guerra also recorded multi-point games…Grant Hebert's point extends to nine games…First time in program history RMU has earned nine wins in its first twelve games
QUOTABLES
"We came out and had an opportunity to battle through some adversity tonight in a situation we haven't had a lot of this season, we haven't trailed a lot. To be a bee to do that and get the overtime win is very exciting for our team." - Head Coach Derek Schooley
"That's what good hockey teams do, they step up and have that next man up mentality. We think we're deep enough and have the ability to use our depth and have other guys step up for us. Guys stepped up on Saturday and Sunday for us and you saw that again tonight." - Head Coach Derek Schooley
NEXT UP
Robert Morris returns home to Clearview Arena to close out the season series with the Purple Eagles for a pair on Saturday and Sunday night.
