Men’s Hockey Powers Past Bemidji State to CHA Title Game
 
The Robert Morris University men’s hockey advanced to the finals of the College Hockey America Championship with a 7-5 win over Bemidji State Saturday night at 95KGGO Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. The Colonials tallied five special teams goals going 4-7 on the power play and adding a shorthanded goal, improving 14-18-2 on the year.

Robert Morris tied several team records in the game, including goals in a game (7), power play goals (4), and quickest consecutive goals (10 seconds). Sophomore Chris Margott (Thousand Oaks, Calif. / Bay State Breakers) finished with a goal and two assists while junior Ryan Cruthers (Farmingdale, N.Y. / Army) added two goals. Sophomore Jason Towsley (Lasalle, Ontario / Leamington Flyers), junior Brett Hopfe (Didsbury, Alberta / Olds Grizzlys) and Sean Berkstresser (Apollo, Pa. / Pittsburgh Forge) all added a goal and an assist.

Robert Morris will take on Alabama-Huntsville who advanced with a 5-2 win over Niagara Saturday afternoon. The championship tilt is slated for 7:00 p.m. Sunday, March 11, at 2:00 p.m.

Bemidji State jumped on top in the less than four minutes into the first period when Luke Erickson finished off a flurry in front of the Robert Morris net. Colonials junior goaltender Christian Boucher (Orleans, Ontario / Cumberland Grads) made the initial save on a bad angle shot by Blaine Jarvis. The rebound, however, went right in front to Erickson who scored on his second effort at the loose puck.

A 5-on-3 power play gave Robert Morris brought the Colonials right back into the game at 9:23. Towsley sent the puck to the left face-off circle to junior Logan Bittle (Peoria, Ill. / Soo Indians). Bittle quickly sent a pass across the crease to classmate Berkstresser who found the empty net before Beavers goaltender Matt Climie could get into position to make the save.

Robert Morris came out firing in the second period, scoring the first three goals of the period. Hopfe put Robert Morris on top with their second power play goal of the game 90 seconds into the middle frame. The junior found room between Climie and the short side pipe, beating the netminder just moments after he stopped a shot from the center point.

Just 10 seconds later, Towsley scored from nearly the same spot on the ice as Hopfe, this time beating Climie low on the short side to give RMU a 3-1 lead.

The Colonials continued to add to the lead when Cruthers tallied his team-leading 15th goal of the season, again from the right circle and on the power play. Berkstresser and the Hopfe pocketed the assists at 14:40. His goal was the start of a three-goal flurry over the next 92 seconds.

Bemidji finally responded to the Colonials run when Ryan Miller scored unassisted 64 seconds after Cruthers, cutting the lead to 4-2. Cruthers answered back just as quickly, tallying his second of the night just 28 seconds later. The junior slid a one-timer past Climie after a cross-ice feed from Margott to push the lead to 5-2.

The second period scoring continued into the waning seconds of the middle frame. Travis Winter took advantage of the power play for Bemidji State. His goal after a nice cross ice feed from Rob Sirianni cut the margin to 5-3 with 15 seconds left in the middle stanza.

The Beavers cut the lead to 5-4 at 8:43 of the third period with a power play score by Erickson. Margott answered with a power play score at 11:48 and Joel Gasper tacked on a shorthanded score at 11:48 to stretch the margin to 7-4. Travis Winter scored with the extra attacker for Bemidji State with seven seconds left in regulation to cap the scoring.

Robert Morris finished 4-8 on the power play while Bemidji State went 2-7. The Beavers held the advantage in shots, 31-26, as Boucher stopped 26 shots and Climie had 19 saves.

 
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