After combining for just one goal Friday night, Robert Morris and Alabama-Huntsville combined for 11 goals as UAH upended the host Colonials, 6-5, at the RMU Island Sports Center Saturday night. Alabama-Huntsville improves to 4-4-0 overall and 2-2-0 College Hockey America play while Robert Morris runs their record to 4-5-1 and 1-1-0.
Robert Morris trailed, 3-1, after the first period but fought back to knot the game late in the second period, 4-4. Alabama-Huntsville, however, captured the momentum in the third period. David Nimmo scored his fifth of the season 2:41 into the third period, tipping in a centering pass from Matt Sweazay. UAH took a 6-4 lead on a shorthanded goal as Steve Canter stole the puck and raced in on sophomore goaltender Christian Boucher with just 1:19 left in regulation.
Sophomore Chris Margott scored with an extra-attacker and 16 seconds left in regulation, but the Colonials ran out of time before they could find the equalizer.
The Chargers took a 3-1 lead in the first period, scoring twice in the first 5:05 of the game. Todd Bentley opened the scoring at 4:18 by one-timing a pass from behind the net by Josh Murray. Just 47 seconds later, Murray was sent on a breakaway thanks to an errant RMU pass in the Chargers zone. Murray beat sophomore goaltender Boucher on the stick side.
Robert Morris cut the lead to 2-1 on sophomore Jeff Gilbert’s second goal of the season, a slapshot over Scott Munroe’s left shoulder. Classmate Chris Kaufman freed the puck along the boards and found Gilbert in the high slot.
Jeremy Schreiber gave Alabama-Huntsville a two-goal margin with a power-play tally, his first of the season, at 14:00. The senior defenseman found the top shelf with his slapshot from the left circle. He was set up when Grant Selinger won a face-off in the Colonial zone, fed it back to Jeff Winchester who went across the zone to his linemate.
In the second period, it was Robert Morris who tallied three times while limiting UAH to one. Sophomore Brett Hopfe picked up his sixth of the season from the doorstep, finishing off a nice passing play from Margott and classmate Jace Buzek.
Dominik Rozman regained the Chargers two goal lead as he buried a rebound from Mike Salekin’s slapshot from the right point. Sophomore Jake Sparks answered for RMU at 13:54 with his own rebound goal, this one off of a shot by freshman Jason Towsley. Sophomore Logan Bittle capped the second period scoring by finishing off his own rebound at the 16:55 mark.
Boucher finished with 21 saves while Munroe stopped 34 shots to earn the win for the Chargers. Alabama-Huntsville capitalized on one of three power-play chances while the Colonials were held scores in five opportunities.
