Erie, Pa. – For their first conference game of the season, the Colonials fell at Mercyhurst, with a 3-3 tie, losing in the shootout. The Lakers picked up the extra point in the win. RMU is now 1-1-1 overall and 0-0-1 in the AHA. Mercyhurst is now 0-1-1 on the year and start off 0-0-1 in conference play.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The Colonials jumped out to a quick start in Erie, Pa. RMU sprayed eight shot attempts before Mercyhurst recorded one.
Later on, in the period, the Lakers started to gain momentum after the media timeout. With four minutes to go in the period, Marko Reifenberger scored the game's first goal.
Head coach Derek Schooley and his program quickly responded. Center
Dallas Tulik won the face-off in the neutral zone and RMU headed into the offensive zone for some long shifts to wear down the Lakers.
After eight shot attempts during a two-minute period, the Colonials got on the power play. Entering the zone nicely, setting up the unit, Tulik fed
McKay Hayes the puck behind the net on the left side. Hayes wrapped it around and shoved the puck in, tying up the game, 1-1.
With about a minute remaining in the first period, Mercyhurst got their chance with the man-up opportunity. Killing the penalty off for the next minute, RMU got back to even strength in the second period.
At the halfway point of the game,
Tanner Klimpke rushed into the offensive end, down the left wing. Looking like he might wrap it around the boards, he quickly turned and fed
Logan Ganie the puck in the slot. Ganie sniped it in, pushing RMU ahead, 2-1.
Not being content with a one-goal lead, the Colonials kept pushing numbers forward, outshooting the Lakers in shot attempts the remainder of the second period, 13-3. RMU also kept winning face-off draws, 7-3, in the last 10 minutes of the middle frame.
Heading into the final period, RMU was awarded another chance on the power play. Throwing shots towards goal, two shots were blocked. Finally, with just 12 seconds to go on the power play,
Michael Craig found
Cade Townend on the opposite side of the ice. Winding up the one-timer, Townend slapped a shot in to extend RMU's lead.
Mercyhurst did not let down though as they climbed back, scoring a goal a few minutes later. And, with six minutes remaining, Philip Waugh tied the game up on the power play.
Playing overtime for the first time this season, the Colonials looked comfortable in the fast-paced style of play that 3v3 offers. RMU outshot Mercyhurst, 4-1 across the five minutes of extra time. The Lakers got into penalty trouble in OT, giving RMU a 4 on 3 and 5 on 3 opportunity. Chance after chance, the Colonials unfortunately couldn't cash in and the match headed to a shootout.
In the shootout, one goal by the Lakers was all that was needed to gain the extra point in the standings. All three Colonial attempts were saved by Owen Say. Steven Agriogianis' lone goal gave Mercyhurst the extra point as the game ended in a 3-3 tie.
BACK-TO-BACK
For the second consecutive game,
McKay Hayes and
Logan Ganie scored a goal. Hayes' goal was very similar to his career-first, last outing at Bowling Green, as he powered his way through to the front of the net on the power play, pounding the puck in. Ganie sniped a goal in, at even-strength in the second period in tonight's game. He also added an assist on the team's third goal of the night, posting a multi-point effort. He now owns 16 career goals. Defenseman
Cade Townend also dished out a secondary assist at the Falcons last weekend. His one-timer on the power play is his first goal in an RMU uniform and 40
th career point. Also, Alternate Captain
Cameron Hebert added in another assist to his stat sheet for the second game in a row.
COLONIAL FIRSTS
Producing in their first conference game of the season, left-winger
Tanner Klimpke and defenseman
Michael Craig registered their first career points against Mercyhurst. Both freshmen dished out an assist on the night. Also, alternate captain
Dallas Tulik recorded his first point at RMU with an assist on Hayes' power play goal. From Kalamazoo, Mich., Tulik now owns 36 career points. On defense,
Luke Johnson picked up his first assist and point in an RMU sweater. The transfer from Providence has now reached 10 points in his collegiate career.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Playing against his former team, captain
Rylee St. Onge posted a team-high six shots. He was also almost flawless in the faceoff circle, winning five of his six draws. At third-line center,
Cameron Hebert went 10-for-16 on faceoffs and Tulik won 13 of 18. Defensively,
Trevor LeDonne blocked a team-high six shots.
As a team, RMU held the majority of the chances, pacing for 45 shots compared to Mercyhurst, 26. The Colonials also held the edge in the faceoff circle, winning 46 of 80 draws (.575). Both teams spent four separate times on the power play unit. RMU cashed in twice on those opportunities and the Colonials killed off three of four man-down scenarios.
UP NEXT
RMU will return to the RMU Island Sports Center to host Holy Cross at Clearview Arena next weekend. The first game of the series will be played on Friday, October 20 at 7:00 p.m. The series wraps up on Saturday, October 21 at 5:00 p.m.
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