ERIE, Pa. — Mercyhurst turned the table on the Robert Morris Colonials first period defensive effort en route to a 2-0 victory, pulling the College Hockey America standings into a tie with three games remaining in the season.
The Colonials defense flew out of the gate, shutting down the Lakers offense for over the first half of the period. The first Mercyhurst shot was registered over ten minutes into the game, and finished the first period with only two shots. The Colonials, however couldn’t capitalize on the shutdown and left the period scoreless.
“When you come out of the first period with nothing, in some cases its like it didn’t happen,” Paul Colontino said. “I thought they came out strong in the second, and we just needed a stronger fight, to be a little bit more aggressive. I thought we did that in the third, we still needed more fight around the net for loose pucks.”
Mercyhurst stormed back in the second, taking a 1-0 lead on a Maggie Knott powerplay goal. After yielding seven Colonials shots in the first the Lakers allowed only three to Robert Morris, while collecting 12 of their own.
Samantha Fieseler gave the Lakers an insurance goal on the power play midway through the third period. The shot from the corner ricocheted off of a player in front of Milne-Price and rolled into the back of the empty net, and the Lakers fought off the Colonials late attack to secure the victory.
Kennedy Blair and Elijah Milne-Price put on a goaltending clinic throughout the evening, making both routine and unconventional saves. Blair, a redshirt first-year transfer from North Dakota, collected her second shutout in three tries against the Colonials, and only allowed two goals to date against Robert Morris.
HOLD MY BLOCKER
So far, the team’s offensive records have been re-written by Brittany Howard, passing Rebecca Vint in career points and goals, as well as tying the club record for game-winning goals. Welsh set new highs for defenders points; Maggie LaGue and Katherine Murphy are back and forth for career assists. Emily Curlett surpassed Welsh for goals by a first-year defender.
After consecutive shutouts on Feb. 9-10, Milne-Price needed 19:18 of clock time to pass two-time Olympic silver medalist Brianne McLaughlin for the club’s consecutive shutout streak, set at 172:49 in 2005-06. The Colonials, up to the task, not only assisted the net-minder’s record, but kept the Lakers to only two shots in the first.
“We’re doing everything we can to help her to get her to that milestone,” Welsh explained. “She’s a good enough goalie on her own. She gives us that little push to get better and work harder.”
Milne-Price’s newest Colonials record stands at 181:09.
TOUGH WATERS
Mercyhurst and Robert Morris are both on the edge of the NCAA rankings in both the USCHO and USA Today polls, and the historically tight rivalry is as physical as it is intense.
During the waning moments of the first period Welsh, on the receiving end of a hit behind the play by a Laker that put the top defenders return in question. Murphy, Welsh’s defensive partner, received two hits in the second that put the defender on the ice for an extended period of time.
THE ROAD TO BUFFALO
The Lakers victory coupled with a Syracuse loss to Lindenwood on Friday sets up an interesting situation on Saturday. Robert Morris and Mercyhurst have 25 points, and are tied in conference wins. Syracuse sits four points behind the two teams with three games left. With Robert Morris and Syracuse playing next weekend, the first round bye for two of the top three teams is still in play.
The first two teams start their title hunt on Friday, Mar. 2, while the third place team plays must play a first round game on Thursday, Mar. 1 at the HARBORCENTER in Buffalo. The extra game requires teams seeded 3-6 to play three straight games in order to win the CHA title.
UP NEXT
Robert Morris and Mercyhurst conclude their season series at 2:00 Saturday at the Mercyhurst Ice Arena. The Colonials Men’s team join the women in Erie for the back half of their home-and-home series with the Lakers, faceoff is scheduled for 7:00 for that matchup.
MITCH’S PICS
.@RMUWHockey is here pic.twitter.com/pVZ5OHSlLL
— Mitch (@PHD_Mitch) February 16, 2018
