| Robert Morris Powers By RIT At Home, 4-2 |
| Sophomore Sean Berkstresser (Apollo, Pa. / Pittsburgh
Forge) scored two goals and added an assist as the
Robert Morris University men’s hockey team
picked up their first home win of season, beating the Rochester Institute of
Technology, 4-2, at the RMU Island Sports Center on Sunday evening. Three of the
four Colonials’ goals came on the power play as they improve to 3-4-1 on the
year on 6-0-0 all-time when scoring three power play goals in a game. The Tigers got on the board first with a short-handed goal at 4:10 of the first period. Darrell Draper forced the turnover behind the Colonials zone and fed the puck out to Rob Tarantino in front. Robert Morris sophomore goaltender Christian Boucher (Orleans, Ontario / Cumberland Grads) stopped the first shot but Tarantino collected the rebound and found the back of the net. From there, the Colonials took over. Berkstresser was the beneficiary of a tic-tact-toe passing play, burying the puck from the right side of the crease at 6:53 of the first on the power play. Sophomore Doug Conley (Amherst, N.Y. / Tri-City Storm) started the play at the left point, feeding the puck low to freshman Chris Margott (Thousand Oaks, Calif. / Bay State Breakers) who then shoveled it across the crease to Berkstresser. Sophomore Jeff Gilbert (Barrie, Ontario / Aurora Tigers) scored his first of the season, ripping a slapshot from the high slot with 2:55 left in the opening stanza. Sophomores Chris Kaufman (Gig Harbor, Wash. / Helena Bighorns) and Doug Conley (Amherst, N.Y. / Tri-City Storm ) were credited with the assists. Berkstresser picked up his second power-play tally of the night 6:25 into the second period, burying his own rebound after hitting the post. His second score came on a play remarkably similar to his first goal with freshman Jason Towsley (Lasalle, Ontario / Leamington Flyers) and sophomore Jace Buzek (Greensburg, Pa. / Tri-City Storm) earning helpers. The Colonials picked up their first even-strength goal at 17:22 of second period, on freshman Steve Bandurski’s (Grand Blanc, Mich. / Texarkanan Bandits) second goal of the year. Berkstresser won the puck behind the RIT net and fed it around the boards to sophomore Joel Gasper (Crookston, Minn. / Billings Bulls) at the right point. Tiger’s goalie Jocelyn Guimond stopped Gasper’s slapshot, but Bandurski found the rebound in the slot and buried it, giving the Colonials a 4-1 lead as they headed into the second intermission. Tristan Fairbarn cut the lead to 4-2 as he banged home a pass across the slot from Matt Smith at 11:17 of the third period to cap the scoring. Buzek finished with two assists. Boucher finished with 22 saves, earning the win in his 13th consecutive start. Guimond finished with 27 saves as RMU held a 31-24 advantage in shots on goal. Robert Morris wraps-up a six-game homestand next weekend, hosting Alabama-Huntsville in their College Hockey America opener November 18-19. Both games are slated for 7:35 p.m. starts. |
| Released: 11/13/2005 |