Just the Facts: RMU vs. Meryhurst / RMU at Canisius
7:05 p.m. / 7:05 p.m.: .; Nov. 19/20; Island Sports Center / Buffalo State Sports Arena
Online Video : AmericaOne.com
Live Stats : RMUColonials.com / GoGriffs.com
Opening Shots
- The Colonials rank tied for sixth in the nation in winning percentage. The 7-2-1 mark is the best 10-game start for the Colonials in school history.
- The Colonials have outscored their opponents in the 13-1 in final ten minutes of regulation. Robert Morris has outscored its opponents 17-5 in the third period and after the first period the Colonials have outscored their opposition 31-15. Robert Morris has not lost a game in regulation this season.
- Adam Brace extended his career long point streak to five games Nov. 13 with this third period goal. Nathan Longpre's assist on Brace's third period goal Saturday night made him the all-time career assist leader in Robert Morris history.
- Robert Morris has overcome two goal deficits twice in the past two weekends and forced overtime in both games. The Colonials have faced two goal deficits in three games this season and hold a record of 1-1-1 when down two goals.
- The Colonials have not allowed one opponent to score more than four goals in a game this season and have not lost a game in regulation yet this season.
- Nathan Longpre enters the weekend as the Atlantic Hockey points per game leader, while teammate Denny Urban leads all Atlantic Hockey players in assists this season and leads the nation in point per game by a defenseman.
- Through 10 games this season, Robert Morris is averaging 3.8 goals per game almost a full goal more than last season through 10 games (2.9). The Colonials have also done a great job on the defensive end allowing just 2.4 goals a game this season as opposed to 4.0 gpg through 10contests last season.
- Robert Morris has used a balanced attack this season. Every Colonial to play in at least six games this season has a point and the Colonials also feature 15 different goal scorers. Last season, Robert Morris had just 17 different players score a goal.
- The Colonials have been led this season by their upperclassmen with the junior and senior classes accounting for 82 of the team's 105 total points and 29 of the team's 38 goals.
RMU Against
Canisius
All Time Series - 2-2-1
In Moon Township - 0-2-0
In Buffalo- 2-0-1
Neutral Site - NA
2009-10 Record - 17-15- 5 (13-11- 4)
2009-10 Conference Finish - fifth
Notes From a Year ago: The Golden Griffins dropped an AHA Championship semifinal contest to RIT a season ago, 4-0. Canisius ranked ninth in the nation in scoring offense averaging 3.38 goals per game. The Golden Griffins ranked fifth in the nation a season ago in power-play percentage with a mark of 0.220. Cory Conacher ranked second nation in points per game and totaled 53 points in 2009-10.
Mercyhurst
All Time Series - 0-1-1
In Moon Township - 0-0-1
In Erie - 0-1-0
Neutral Site - NA
2009-10 Record - 15-20- 3 (15-10- 3)
2009-10 Conference Finish - fourth
Notes From a Year ago: Mercyhurst fell to Canisius to in the AHA Quarterfinals getting knocked off in back-to-back contests. Goalie Ryan Zapolski ranked 12th in the nation a season ago in save percentage with a mark of .918.
Starting Slow and Finishing Strong
The Colonials have scored six first-period goals this season and have failed to score in the first 10 minutes of regulation at any point in the 2010-11 season. The third period has been a different story with 13 of the Colonials 29 goals coming in the third period and 11 of those 13 third period tallies have come in the final 10 minutes of regulation. In that same time frame of the third period the Colonials have only allowed one goal. Last season, Robert Morris only scored 18 goals in the final 10 minutes of regulation while allowing 23.
Longpre Named Atlantic Hockey Player of the Week
The Atlantic Hockey Association named Nathan Longpre its Player of the Week, Monday after he lead the Colonials to an unbeaten weekend.
Longpre led the Colonials to a record of 1-0-1 against Sacred Heart. Longpre picked up a goal and an assist Nov. 12 as the Colonials rallied from 4-2 at the start of the third period to pick up a tie against the Pioneers. The senior forward then set a career high in assists Nov. 13 as Robert Morris picked up a 5-1 win against Sacred Heart. The assistant captain had a roll in four scores and with this fourth and final assist of the game he passed Chris Margott as Robert Morris' all-time assists leader, the senior now holds 73 career helpers. Longpre currently leads the Atlantic Hockey Association in points per game and ranks sixth nationally.
Robert Morris Rises in the Rankings
The Robert Morris University men's ice hockey team moved up a spot in the national rankings this week and entered the USCHO.com poll for the first time after ever after posting a win and tie over the weekend against Sacred Heart.
Robert Morris earned its first ranking ever in the USCHO.com poll Monday, entering the poll at No. 20. The Colonials have been receiving votes in the USCHO.com poll all season but finally cracked the Top 20 in the latest tally. Inside College Hockey.com, an ESPN associate moved the Colonials into the No. 18 spot in its rankings this week. Robert Morris picked up a win and a tie at home over the weekend against Sacred Heart. The No. 18 ranking is the highest rating for the men's ice hockey team in school history.
Keeping Out of Trouble
The Colonials rank 30th nationally in the penalty kill but that could because they don't spend a lot of time on the kill. Robert Morris sits sixth in the nation in fewest penalty minutes per game. Last season the Colonials averaged six penalties a game and 11.8 penalty minutes per game through their first 10 games. This season, Robert Morris is only being called for 4.0penalties per game and 9.9 penalties minutes per game.
Comeback Kids
Robert Morris has trailed at least one game each weekend this season but the Colonials have rallied to tie each of those games and win two. The Colonials fell behind for the first time this season against American International, 1-0, in the second game of the season but RMU rallied and won the game 6-3. Robert Morris also faced a deficit against Air Force giving up two goals in the first period but once again the Colonials rallied scoring once in the final seconds of the first period and even the score with a second period goal. Nathan Longpre completed the rally with the game-winning goal in the third period. The Colonials fell behind two scores to Sacred Heart Nov. 12 and trailed 4-2 entering the third period but Chris Kushneriuk scored with under 30 seconds to play and Robert Morris earned a tie.
First Times
As Robert Morris enters in first season in the Atlantic Hockey Association; the Colonials will experience many things for the first time.
First AHA win - @ AIC Oct. 9
First AHA sweep - @AIC Oct. 9-10
First AHA goal - Brock Meadows, Oct. 9
First AHA Player of the Week - Denny Urban, Oct. 11
First AHA Goalie of the Week - Brooks Ostergard, Oct. 18
First AHA Home win - vs. Air Force, Oct. 17
First game at RIT - L, 3-2 OT
First games against Holy Cross - Nov. 5
First win against Holy Cross - Nov. 5
First Home game against Sacred Heart - Nov. 12
Last Time Out
The Robert Morris University men's ice hockey team scored three times in the second period and twice in the third to pick up a, 5-1, win against Sacred Heart.
Robert Morris picked up goals from five different players while nine separate players earned a point as the Colonials (7-2-1, 6-2-1) earned their first win of the season at the Island Sports Center. The Colonials held Sacred Heart (1-6-2, 1-3-2) to just one goal after allowing three to the Pioneers Friday night.
After a scoreless first period, James Lyle picked up a power-play goal at 5:49 of the second period to give the Colonials the first lead of the game. Trevor Lewis and Ron Cramer earned the assists. Colin South made it a two goal advantage for the Colonials with an even-strength tally at the 10:23 mark of the second. The freshman fired a shot from the slot after an excellent feed by Nathan Longpre from the goal line. Denny Urban made it a three goal advantage with his third goal of the season coming with 5:14 left in the period. R.J. Boyd cut the lead to two goals with an even-strength tally at the 18:37 mark of the period.
Zach Hervato and Adam Brace added third period goals to seal the game for the Colonials. Longpre earned assists on both goals and with this helper on Brace's goal he became Robert Morris' career assist king passing Chris Margott. The senior assistant captain tallied four assists on the night and now has 73 for his career.
The Colonials controlled special teams play going 1-for-4 on the power play and 6-for-6 on the penalty kill. Brooks Ostergard made 30 saves in net after being pulled for the first time this season Friday night. Ostergard also made 15 stops on the penalty kill.
Century Club
Nathan Longpre became the second Robert Morris men's ice hockey player to crack the 100-point barrier Oct. 17 against Air Force. Longpre sits just 24 points away from tying Chris Margott's school record. Fellow senior assistant captain, Denny Urban is also looking to break past the 100 point mark this season. Urban enters the weekend with 87 career points and is looking to become the first defenseman in school history to record 100 career points.
Classy Captain Kushneriuk
Chris Kushneriuk became the first member of the Robert Morris University men's ice hockey program to be named a semifinalist for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.
Kushneriuk, the captain of the 2010-11 Colonials, holds the top grade point average on the team and ranked second on the team a season ago in points with 29. The native of Ottawa, Ontario is an active member of the community in Pittsburgh and in his hometown.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
Kushneriuk joins fellow Colonial Amanda Graham, a nominee in the women's volleyball category, as Robert Morris athletes selected as semifinalist. Kushneriuk and Graham are the first pair of Colonials to be nominated for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award in the same calendar year.
Ostergard Named Atlantic Hockey Goalie of the Week
Brooks Ostergard of the Robert Morris University men's ice hockey team earned Goalie of the Week honors from the Atlantic Hockey Association, Oct. 18.
Ostergard ranks as one of just two goalies nationally with a 4-0-0 record. He posted 64 saves, a 2.50 goal-against average and a .928 save percentage posting wins against Ohio State and Air Force. His 36 stops against Air Force were a season high and helped the Colonials to a 3-0-0 start in conference play. After allowing two first period goals Oct. 17, he did not allow a score over the final two periods as Robert Morris rallied from two goals down to defeat Air Force. Ostergard's four-game winning streak ties a career best. The Colonial net minder has been at his best with the game on-the-line - in the third period this season he has posted 37 saves and has allowed just one goal in the final 10 minutes of regulation.
Urban Named Co-Atlantic Hockey Player of the Week
Denny Urban of the Robert Morris University men's ice hockey team earned Co-Player of the Week for the Atlantic Hockey Association, Oct. 11.
Urban racked up a total of five points against American International, more than any other defenseman in the country in college hockey's opening weekend. The senior assistant captain also set a career-best Oct. 10 handing out three assists. Urban currently leads all active AHA defenseman in career points with 77 and sits just 23 points shy of becoming the first Colonial defenseman to earn 100 career points.
The Pittsburgh, Pa. native became the first Colonial hockey player to earn an AHA weekly award, picking up the honor in Robert Morris' first weekend in Atlantic Hockey action.
Colonials and Tigers to meet in Classic
The Colonials' men's ice hockey team will take on defending conference champion RIT Dec. 30 in the CONSOL Energy Center with tickets going on sale to the public Nov. 11
Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster.com and give fans access to both the Colonials matchup with the Tigers and the American Hockey League (AHL) game which follows. Tickets are available for as low as $15.50.
The doubleheader features Robert Morris taking on RIT at 3:00 p.m. followed by the Pittsburgh Penguins' AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, meeting rival Hershey, the Washington Capitals AHL affiliate at 7:30 p.m. The double dip is part of the Penguins' weeklong celebration of hockey leading up to the Penguins taking on the Capitals in the Bridgestone Winter Classic on New Year's Day at Heinz Field.
The Frozen Four Comes to Pittsburgh in 2013
The NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Committee has chosen the city of Pittsburgh as the site of the 2013 NCAA Frozen Four.
Robert Morris University, in conjunction with VisitPittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL), will serve as host of the event at the CONSOL Energy Center.
On the Horizon
Robert Morris has Thanksgiving weekend off before they return to the Island Sports Center to take on Bentley in a pair of games set for 7:05 p.m. Dec. 3-4.
