MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The RMU men's hockey team completed a weekend sweep of Miami (Ohio) with a 4-1 victory, improving to 2-0-0 to open the 2024-25 season.
FIRST PERIOD HIGHLIGHTS
- Just 32 seconds into the game, the Colonials scored on a crisp tic-tac-toe passing play. Walter Zacher tallied his first of the night, assisted by Cameron Garvey and Tanner Klimpke.
- Both teams had one power play chance in the first period but were unable to convert, finishing 0-for-1.
SECOND PERIOD HIGHLIGHTS
- Zacher doubled the lead in the second period, capitalizing on a rebound for his second goal of the game. Assists were credited to Garvey and Klimpke.
- Miami responded with a power-play goal less than two minutes later, cutting the Colonials' lead to 2-1.
THIRD PERIOD HIGHLIGHTS
- RMU's penalty kill was strong in the third, successfully defending one more Miami power play.
- With Miami's goalie pulled late in the game, Michael Craig scored an empty-net goal to extend the lead to 3-1.
- Zacher sealed the win with his third goal of the night, an empty-netter, completing his hat trick with under a minute to play.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
RMU outshot Miami in every period, finishing with 33 shots on goal compared to Miami's 26. The Redhawks went 1-for-5 on the power play, while RMU was 0-for-3. The Colonials blocked 19 shots, with freshman
Dominic Elliott leading the way with a career-high six blocks. Sophomore defenseman
Luke van Why posted a team-best +4 rating.
HAT TRICK CLUB
Sophomore forward
Walter Zacher recorded his first career hat trick. The Buffalo, N.Y. native now has nine goals, 17 assists, and 26 points in 35 games. The last Colonial to score a hat trick was
Cameron Garvey on February 2, 2024, in a win over Mercyhurst.
COLONIAL FIRSTS
Sophomore defenseman
Michael Craig notched his first career goal with his empty-net tally. The captain from St. Catharines, Ontario has 11 assists in 41 games. Freshman goaltender
Croix Kochendorfer, in addition to earning his second win, recorded an assist. Kochendorfer currently boasts a 1.00 GAA and .960 save percentage through two games.
MULTIPOINT EFFORTS
The top line of Zacher, Garvey, and Klimpke was dominant throughout the game. Garvey registered three assists for his third career multipoint game, bringing his total to 18 points (11-7—18) in 39 games. Klimpke's two assists marked his fifth career multipoint effort, and he now has 29 points (15-14—29) in 39 games.
SERIES-OPENING SWEEP
This is the sixth time in program history that RMU has opened the season with a series sweep, previously doing so in 2007, 2010, 2014, 2015, and 2020. RMU's best start came in 2014 when the Colonials won their first five games and remained unbeaten through nine contests (7-0-2).
UP NEXT
The Colonials will face Niagara in a home-and-home series next week. RMU will host Niagara on Friday, October 25, at 7:00 PM before traveling to Niagara the following day for a 7:00 PM puck drop.
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