HARMAR Twp., Pa. — The first round of the College Hockey Mid-America playoffs began with a rematch from two weeks ago, as the Pitt Panthers looked for revenge from a loss to the Robert Morris Colonials on home ice, 3-1. Unfortunately for Pitt, revenge was not had, as the Colonials advanced into the second round, defeating the Panthers 4-2 Friday night.
The two teams, having split the season series, each winning on hostile ice, looked even throughout most of the period. The Colonials outshot the Panthers in the period, 12-6, with help on that front from a power play midway through the period. It wasn’t until the final minute, however, that Robert Morris found the back of the net. Andrew Hachmeister pushed a puck in from in front of Panthers netminder Matt Snader to give the Colonials a 1-0 lead headed into the first intermission.
Pitt tied the game in the second period just over a minute and a half in as Jacob Tepe pushed a puck past Robert Morris goaltender Kevin Mackey. From there, the teams continued swapping goals. Colonials captain Tanner Orr put one in at the 5:31 mark, Trent Thomas answered for the Panthers two minutes later to tie the game at two, and Nicholas Mummau put in a short-handed goal to give the Colonials another lead, this time 3-2.
As loud as it was, scoring wise, in the second period, it was deafly quiet in the third. Steven Ralston put the empty net goal in for the only score of the period and the Colonials took the 4-2 victory. They will face the IUP Hawks at 2:10 PM on Saturday at Alpha Ice Complex.
MAJOR FOCUS: Colonials Drop Panthers, 4-2
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