MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The RMU men's hockey team continues its season-opening road stretch this weekend, heading to South Bend, Ind., for a two-game set against Notre Dame. The series opens on Friday, October 24 at 7:00 PM, followed by the finale on Saturday, October 25 at 6:00 PM. Both games will stream live on Peacock.
 
RMU LATELY
RMU (0-2-0) enters its second series of the season after facing a nationally ranked Michigan squad to open the year. The Colonials battled hard in the opener against the No. 3/4 Wolverines, falling 4-2, before dropping the finale 10-2.
 
Senior forward Ryan Taylor leads RMU with two points (1G, 1A) through two games, while 11 different Colonials have recorded a point to start the season. Junior Jackson Reineke netted RMU's lone power-play goal of the opening weekend, and freshman John Babcock has anchored the defensive unit with a team-high six blocked shots. In goal, freshman Charlie Schenkel made his collegiate debut in the opener, turning aside 35 shots.
 
MILESTONE REACHED
Junior captain Tanner Klimpke reached a personal milestone last weekend, recording his 50th career point with an assist against Michigan. The Calgary, Alberta native has now tallied an even 25 goals and 25 assists, including seven power-play goals and two game-winners.
 
ALL-TIME VS. NOTRE DAME
This weekend marks just the second all-time series between RMU and Notre Dame — and the first meeting since the 2006-07 season. The teams split that series, with Notre Dame earning a 6-2 win in Moon Township before RMU responded with a 4-2 victory in South Bend.
 
SCOUTING THE FIGHTING IRISH
Notre Dame (2-2-0) opened the season at the 2025 Icebreaker Tournament, dropping contests to Arizona State and Quinnipiac before rebounding at home with back-to-back wins over St. Lawrence (8-2, 3-0).
 
Junior forward Evan Werner and senior defenseman Axel Kumlin pace the Irish offense with six points apiece. Kumlin leads the team with five assists, while graduate forward Sutter Muzzatti has found the net three times. Freshman Pano Fimis has excelled in the faceoff circle, winning 65.6% (42-of-64) of his draws. Goaltender Nicholas Kempf has started all four games, posting a 3.52 GAA and .886 save percentage.
 
Special teams have been a strength for Notre Dame early on — their power play is operating at 29.4%, and their penalty kill has been nearly perfect at 95.1%.
 
Last season, the Fighting Irish went 12-25-1 overall (4-19-1 Big Ten), advancing to the second round of the Big Ten Tournament after a series win over Minnesota.
 
UP NEXT
RMU returns home next weekend to open Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) play against Niagara. The Colonials host the Purple Eagles on Friday, October 31 at 7:00 PM before traveling to Niagara Falls, N.Y., for the finale on Saturday, November 1 at 6:00 PM.
 
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