MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – No. 11 RMU will face No. 6 Bentley in the First Round of the 2024 AHA Playoffs. The game is scheduled for Saturday, March 2 at 7:00 PM, streaming on FloHockey. Dan Rubin (pxp) and Matt Krefting (analyst) will be on the broadcast.
RMU LATELY
RMU (10-23-3, 7-17-2) fell at Air Force 5-2 and 2-1 to close out their last regular season series of the 2023-24 campaign. Freshman
Tanner Klimpke scored two goals in Colorado and freshman
Walter Zacher dished out two assists. Captain
Rylee St. Onge added in his sixth power play tally of the season in game one of the series. Netminders
Chad Veltri and
Francis Boisvert each earned one start over the weekend.
REGULAR SEASON REVIEW
- From Calgary, Alberta, Tanner Klimpke (13-22--24) finished his first-year campaign as the team leader in goals and points.
- Graduate forward Dallas Tulik dished out a team-high 16 assists.
- On the power play, forward Rylee St. Onge has posted six power play tallies. Him and Cameron Garvey lead the program in game-winning goals with two each.
- Defensively, Mitch Andres has been credited with the most blocked shots on the roster with 68. His total ranks fourth in the conference.
- RMU leads the AHA and NCAA in blocks (542).
- Defenseman Cade Townend led all blue liners on the team in points (4-9—13).
- Entering the playoffs, netminder Chad Veltri is ranked second among Division I goalies in saves with 971. He's also second all-time in the AHA in career saves (3,528).
- Head Coach Derek Schooley enters the 2024 AHA playoffs with 285 career wins and one AHA Playoff Championship when the program won in 2014.
IRONMEN
Defenseman
Luke Johnson and
Michael Craig both dressed for all 36 games in the regular season for the Colonials. On the year, Johnson owns one goal and 11 assists and Craig has paced for 10 helpers.
FRESHMAN FORCE
Overall, RMU's 14 freshmen skaters have combined for 55 goals and 74 assists, totaling 129 points. Offensively, the trio of
Tanner Klimpke (13-11—24),
Jackson Reineke (9-11—20) and
Walter Zacher (5-15—20) rank in the top four on the team in points.
RMU LEADERS
Goals:
Tanner Klimpke (13)
Assists:
Dallas Tulik (16)
Points:
Tanner Klimpke (24)
PPG:
Rylee St. Onge (6)
SHG:
Dallas Tulik,
Cade Townend (1)
GWG:
Rylee St. Onge,
Cameron Garvey (2)
Blocks:
Mitch Andres (68)
SV%:
Chad Veltri (.913)
ALL-TIME VS. BENTLEY
Since the program started in 2004-05, RMU has faced off against Bentley 41 times. All-time, the Colonials are 20-17-4 against the Falcons. Earlier in the season, RMU split the series with them, winning the first night, 4-3 and then falling the following day, 3-0. In the win, freshman
Cameron Garvey scored two late goals in the third period to give RMU their first conference win on home ice of the season (10/27/23). Garvey's two tallies were his first two collegiate goals and his first game-winning score.
SCOUTING BENTLEY
No. 6 Bentley (16-16-2, 12-12-2 #AHA20) enters the 2024 AHA Playoffs riding a four-game unbeaten streak. Two of their last four conference games went to a shootout. On the year, the Falcons have allowed the lowest amount of goals among AHA teams (78). Offensively, Bentley has been led by senior forward Ethan Leyh (12-16—28). In net, sophomore Connor Hasley has started the most games for Bentley (19), owning a 2.17 GAA and .907 save percentage with 10 wins.
BENTLEY LEADERS:
Goals: Ethan Leyh (12)
Assists: Stephen Castagna (19)
Points: Ethan Leyh (28)
PPG: Ethan Leyh (5)
SHG: 3 players (1)
GWG: Ethan Leyh, Kellan Hjartarson (3)
Blocks: Garrett Horsager (57)
SV%: Connor Hasley (.907)
UP NEXT
With a win at Bentley, the Colonials would advance to the AHA Quarterfinal Round in a best-of-three series at No. 1 RIT. The next round is scheduled for March 8-10.
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