MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The RMU women's hockey team returns to action to open the 2026 calendar year with a home series against Syracuse. Game one is set for Friday, January 9 at 7:00 PM, followed by the series finale on Saturday, January 10 at 3:00 PM. Both contests will stream live on SportsNet Pittsburgh+ and FloHockey, with commentary provided by Gero von Dehn and Bob Kennedy.
 
A LOOK BACK AT DECEMBER
RMU closed out 2025 on a strong note, posting a 3-0-1 record in the month of December. All three victories came by way of shutout, while the lone tie resulted in a shootout win on the road at Syracuse. The successful month propelled the Colonials into fourth place in Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) with 21 conference points, just one point behind RIT.
 
In their final series of the year, RMU dominated LIU, earning 2-0 and 9-0 victories. The nine-goal output in the Saturday finale marked the fifth-most goals scored in a single game in program history and was the fourth best in goal differential. Sophomore Jessica MacKinnon led the offensive surge with a career-high five points (2g-3a), while senior Morgan Giannone recorded her first career hat trick.
 
Rowyn Ringor (2g, 2a), Linnea Misner (1g, 2a), Thalia D'Elia (2a), Mary Snyder (2a) and Mya Kearns (2a) also turned in multipoint performances during the series.
 
Behind her standout play in net, Maggie Hatch was named Atlantic Hockey America Goaltender of the Month. In four appearances, the senior posted three shutouts, a .985 save percentage and a 0.49 goals-against average. Her save percentage ranked first nationally for the month.
 
MacKinnon was also recognized with conference honors, earning Forward of the Month after recording seven points (2g-5a) in four games, which led the nation in December. She also collected 45 faceoff wins during the stretch.
 
At the midway point of the season, Hatch leads the conference in save percentage (.933), ranks second in shutouts (5) and goals-against average (2.08), and sits third nationally in shutouts. MacKinnon is tied for first in the AHA in goals (13) and points (28), tied for second in assists (15), and continues to lead the NCAA in faceoff wins with 321.
 
TEAM NOTES
Giannone joins MacKinnon as the second Colonial with 20 points this season, tallying nine goals and 11 assists. Her point total matches her season high from the 2024-25 campaign.
 
Ringor is coming off her first multipoint effort as a Colonial, setting career highs with two goals and two assists in RMU's last outing.
 
Down the middle, Catriona Crarer has been a steady presence, winning 202 faceoffs this season. Her 62.3 faceoff win percentage ranks third in the conference.
 
On special teams, RMU's power play has climbed to a season-best 17.0 percent conversion rate.
 
SHUTOUT STREAK
The Colonials enter the weekend riding a shutout streak of 143 minutes and 19 seconds. It marks the second time this season RMU has recorded back-to-back shutouts and stands as the seventh-longest shutout streak in program history.
 
181:08 – 2018
174:47 – 2020
173:06 – 2019
167:49 – 2006
153:01 – 2015
144:25 – 2013
143:19 – 2025
141:13 – 2025
 
ALL-TIME VS. SYRACUSE
Since 2008, RMU and Syracuse have met 67 times, with the Colonials holding a narrow 29-28-10 edge in the all-time series. The two teams last met in December in Syracuse. RMU captured game one, 1-0, behind a Hatch shutout, as D'Elia scored the game-winner with an assist from Crarer.
 
Game two ended in a 2-2 tie, with goals from Alexis Vrana and Alaina Giampietro. D'Elia, Crarer, MacKinnon and Laura Eustace each recorded an assist. RMU secured five of six points in the series by winning the shootout 1-0 on a goal from captain Giampietro.
 
SCOUTING THE ORANGE
Syracuse enters the weekend with a 10-11-3 overall record and a 6-6-2 mark in AHA play. The Orange are coming off a weekend sweep of Delaware and currently sit fifth in the conference with 19 points.
 
Freshman forward Emma Gnade leads the team in goals (8) and points (14), while Peyton Armstrong and Jackson Kinsler share the team lead in assists with eight apiece. On the blue line, junior Jocelyn Fiala owns a team-best plus/minus rating of +3, and senior Sami Gendron leads the team with 44 blocked shots.
 
In goal, freshman Ava Drabyk is coming off AHA Rookie of the Week honors after earning two wins, including a shutout, against Delaware. The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native has eight wins, three shutouts and a .926 save percentage on the season.
 
As a team, Syracuse averages 2.0 goals per game while allowing 2.8. The Orange power play operates at 11.9 percent, while the penalty kill stands at 75.9 percent. Syracuse owns a 48.6 faceoff win percentage.
 
UP NEXT
Following the series, RMU will begin a four-game road swing, opening with a trip to Mercyhurst. The series begins Friday, January 23 at 3:00 PM and concludes Saturday, January 24 at 1:00 PM, with both games streaming live on FloHockey.
 
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