ROCHESTER, N.Y. — For the second straight night, the Robert Morris Colonials skated into the Gene Polisseni Center and outplayed the RIT Tigers in several major statistical categories. For the second straight night, the Colonials dropped an Atlantic Hockey contest to one of their most heated rivals, this time by a score of 5-2.
Head coach Derek Schooley saw some promise after the game, but once again boiled the loss down to momentum.
After Luke Lynch battled to tie the game in the third period, Erik Brown once again broke the Colonials momentum and only 36 seconds later, gave RIT the lead for good. Brown’s goal was the second consecutive game-winner for the junior.
“I thought our effort was good,” Schooley explained. “I thought we controlled that game in stretches. It comes down to momentum. We gave up the first goal and were chasing the game, then when we tie it and give up a little momentum, we give up a goal right after on a straight three-on-three. You’ve got to be able to defend. I thought we dominated that game in large stretches of the game. We were much better in our own end, but once again gave up too many goals.”
The first goal that Schooley refered to was the epitome of a fluke goal. RIT defender Matt Abt fired a routine shot into the zone that ricocheted off of Andrew Pikul’s mask and slowly dribbled into the net while the senior netminder sat four feet from his crease.
The Colonials received a boost from the power play when freshman forward Nick Prkusic fired home his first collegiate goal off of a Daniel Mantenuto rebound.
Shortly after Prkusic’s tally the RIT Tigers, received their second goal on a reviewed play when Abbott Girduckis picked up a loose puck in front as players converged on Pikul.
Once again, Robert Morris found a way to get the equalizer, as Lynch literally crashed the net after receiving a pass from Alex Tonge on a two-on-one. The puck, the defender, RIT goaltender Logan Drackett and the net ended along the back wall, as the play was whistled dead, but after further review it was ruled that the puck crossed the line before the net left its moorings and Lynch made contact with Drackett.
SNOWBALL EFFECT
The Colonials’ effort on the evening was a major sign of things to come for Robert Morris, as they clearly outplayed the Tigers in most major statistical categories for two straight games, but fell short in the column that matters most. Schooley praised the effort of his team but is concerned about the toll it will take on the team mentality.
“The most important thing it that we have to stop this from snowballing into something that can really hurt us.” Schooley said. “There were a lot of really good things, but there are a bunch of things that are hurting us. The momentum swings are killing us. We can’t chase the game like that.”
Another concern facing the Colonials coach is that this is uncharted territory for the entire team, as the leadership includes multiple Three Rivers Classic championships and three trips to the AHC playoffs.
“This is the first time this senior class has really been challenged with adversity as far as our record goes,” he said. “We have to stick with the process, stick with what were trying to do. We cant let it snowball into things heading the wrong direction.”
LINEUP SHAKEUP
Schooley took the opportunity to give his lineup a facelift, moving first year Ryley Risling out of the lineup in favor of Kevin Lavoie, Sean Giles out for Brett Beauvais and re-arranging the top-nine. Prkusic landed on a line with sophomores Daniel Mantenuto and Jacob Coleman. The forward from St. Albert, Alberta had an optimistic outlook about the lines chemistry.
“It felt pretty good tonight,” Prkusic said. “Especially in the third period where we started to generate a lot more and got more comfortable with one another. They’re both fast, skilled guys who can make plays, and I’m a bigger guy that can create some space for them.”
It was an arrangement that netted him his first goal.
“It felt really good to get the first one,” he said. “You only really get so many first ones in life, I guess. It was good to get that first one out of the way, hopefully there are more to come.”
NOTES
Luke Lynch continued his torrid scoring streak, netting his ninth goal of the season, matching his 2016-17 output in only his eleventh game played. … Defenseman Alex Bontje led all skaters in blocked shots with six. … For the second straight night, the Colonials surpassed the Tigers in chances, this time by a margin of 73-49.
BACK TO THE ISLAND
Robert Morris heads back to the Island Sports Center for a matchup with American International. Face-off is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. on Friday evening and 4:05 p.m. on Saturday.
