Pittsburgh, Pa. – After a four-game road trip, the Robert Morris University men’s hockey team returned to the friendly confines of 84 Lumber Arena as the Colonials hosted Sacred Heart on Friday evening.  After suffering consecutive losses for the first time this season, RMU got back on track with a 6-3 victory over the Pioneers.

Robert Morris would open the scoring five minutes into the game when Colonials’ captain Brendan Jamison (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Jersey Hitmen) fired a shot through traffic to beat the Sacred Heart goaltender. Jamison’s first goal of the season came on the power play with assists credited to sophomore forward Jeff Jones (Revelstoke, British Columbia / Merritt Centennials) and junior defenseman Andrew Blazek (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Topeka Roadrunners).

The Colonials would strike just 25 seconds later when freshman forward Greg Gibson (Burlington, Ontario / Amarillo Bulls) scored on a rush play that was sparked from passes by assistant captain Tyler Hinds (Orleans, Ontario / Nepean Raiders) and sophomore defenseman David Rigatti (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Texas Tornado). The secondary assist was the first point for Rigatti this season.

The Pioneers would respond quickly with the first of three power-play goals for Sacred Heart.  A shot towards the net would deflect off of a Robert Morris defender and in to the vacated net.

RMU answered back with their own goal just over two minutes later when freshman forward Zac Lynch (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Bay State Breakers) sniped his first career goal over the blocker of the Pioneer goalie. The rush play was orchestrated by Blazek and freshman forward David Friedmann (Toronto, Ontario / Toronto Jr. Canadiens).

With a little over two minutes remaining in the first period the Pioneers answered back with their second power play goal of the game. Sacred Heart would bang in a rebound past Colonials goaltender.

After the flurry of five goals in the first period, the first of three goals in the second period wouldn’t come until the latter half of the period when Zach Hervato (Stittsville, Ontario / Smiths Falls Bears) came in all alone on a breakaway. Hervato’s eighth goal of the season came off of a set faceoff play assisted by Jamison and sophomore forward Scott Jacklin (Kimberley, British Columbia / Trail Smoke Eaters).

Two minutes later the Pioneers would answer back with their third power play goal of the game as the puck snuck through the RMU crease to a waiting Pioneer player that again made the contest a one-goal game, this time with the score 4-3.

The Colonials would go ahead by two goals once again when Blazek netted his eighth goal of the season. Set up by forwards Adam Brace (Cobden, Ontario / Canisius College) and Cody Wydo (Southgate, Mich. / Motor City Metal Jackets), Blazek fired a point shot past the Pioneers netminder to regain a two-goal advantage with the score 5-3.

The Colonials would finish off the game as Jacklin fired a puck down the ice into an empty net with 57 seconds remaining. Jamison would pick up his second assist and third point of the game on the goal.

Goaltender Eric Levine (Wheeling, Ill. / Pembroke Lumber Kings) improved his record to 12-7-2 with the win while making 38 saves.  In the high-scoring game, Robert Morris would hold the edge in shots, 50-41, as Lynch and Gibson each tallied six shots to pace the Colonials.

Robert Morris concludes the two-game series against Sacred Heart with a game tomorrow evening at 7:05 p.m. at the 84 Lumber Arena.