DATE: February 9, 2007
Colonials snap BSU’s 11-game unbeaten streak in College Hockey America play

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. (RMU Island Sports Center) - Robert Morris built a 3-1 lead and added an empty-net goal in the final minute to hold off a late Bemidji State rally and post 4-2 victory over the Beavers in a College Hockey America contest. The loss snapped BSU’s school-record unbeaten streak in CHA play at 11 consecutive games, a streak bookended by losses to Robert Morris. BSU’s last loss in CHA play also came to the Colonials, a 3-2 setback in Bemidji on Nov. 10, 2006.

Doug Conley had three assists for the Colonials, leading a strong effort by the first line of Robert Morris forwards. Conley, left wing David Boguslawski and right wing Chris Margott combined for 2-4=6 points in the contest; Conley and Margott headlined a group of three Colonials with multiple points in the contest.

The Beavers and Colonials skated to a 1-1 draw after an up-tempo first period which saw the visitors hold a 13-9 advantage in shots on goal. The Colonials struck first, with Margott gathering his seventh goal of the season with help from Conley and Logan Bittle just 4:17 into the contest.

Bemidji State fought back and drew even less than 10 minutes later, taking advantage of Jeff Gilbert’s second interference penalty in a span of just over four minutes. The second infraction was called at 12:06, and Rob Sirianni (Edmonton, Alberta) picked up his ninth goal of the season at the 13:29 mark of the frame. Blaine Jarvis (Salmon Arm, British Columbia) and John Vadnais (Stillwater, Minn.) assisted.

The draw held until late in the second period, when Bittle would help the Colonials take the lead for good with 95 seconds remaining in the period. BSU’s David Deterding (Alexandria, Minn.) picked up a hooking penalty at 17:49, and Bittle scored his fourth goal of the season just 36 seconds into the ensuing power play with assists by Conley and Margott.

The Colonials pushed their lead to 3-1 at the 3:02 mark of the third period, as Ryan Cruthers scored even strength with help from Joel Gasper and Andrew Bonello.

The two-goal advantage held until the final minutes of the contest, and the teams swapped goals in the final 101 seconds for the final 4-2 margin. The Beavers called time out and pulled goaltender Matt Climie (Leduc, Alberta) with 2:12 remaining in the game for an extra attacker, and the gambit paid off. Ryan Miller (Fergus Falls, Minn.) took advantage of the extra-attacker opportunity for his fourth goal of the season with help from Sirianni and Jarvis; Jarvis’ helper was his 40th career point. Miller’s marker pulled BSU within a goal, 3-2, at the 18:19 mark of the third.

The Beavers continued to shuffle Climie in and out of the contest for an extra attacker, but the Colonials took advantage of BSU’s open net and picked up an insurance goal with 27 seconds remaining in the contest. David Boguslawski picked up his ninth goal of the contest with help from Rob Cowan and Conley, who notched the third of his three assists on the night.

Climie saved 22 of 25 shots faced in net for the Beavers in 59:07 of work. He took the loss and fell to 10-6-4 on the year.

RMU’s Joe Tuset turned in a strong outing in goal for the Colonials, saving 35 of 37 shots faced. Tuset was 12-of-13 in the first period, saved a perfect 7-of-7 in the second and was 16 of 17 in the third period. The win improved him to 5-4-0 on the year.

Each team committed eight minor penalties in the contest and each team went 1-for-8 with the man advantage. Bittle’s second-period power-play goal marked the 12th consecutive game BSU has allowed a power-play goal this season; it is the longest streak of consecutive games with a power-play goal allowed in BSU’s Division I era.

The loss dropped BSU to 8-3-0 all-time against Robert Morris and evened the series at 3-3-0 over the last six meetings. Two of BSU’s three all-time losses in its series with Robert Morris have come at the RMU Island Sports Center. RMU’s four goals tonight surpassed its total in four previous meetings between the Beavers and Colonials in Moon Township; RMU scored a total of three goals in the first four road meetings between the programs.

The loss dropped Bemidji State to 13-10-4 on the season, including an 8-3-4 mark in CHA play. Robert Morris improved to 12-13-1 overall, 8-7-0 in CHA play. The teams wrap up their two-game series tomorrow night with a 7:35 p.m. Eastern faceoff at the RMU Island Sports Center.

--beavers--