By Ben Shanahan
Special to the Sentinel-Tribune
Robert Morris University beat Bowling Green Hockey to force a split in the series at Slater Family Ice Arena on Sunday, defeating the Falcons by the same score BGSU won by one day earlier in Pittsburgh, 3-0.
RMU goalie Chad Veltri earned his first shutout at Robert Morris as he stopped chance after chance, earning 33 saves and stunning the Falcons in their home opener.
“I felt like we had a good start. Our energy was good in the first period, our energy was good, we generated, our execution was just a little off,” BGSU interim coach Curtis Carr said.
Carr said he likes the team’s effort despite the result.
“We had some great chances but could not capitalize. Then they got one, and we started forcing a few things, but I still think when we go through it, I think we had more scoring chances. They did a good job boxing us out for us to get the second and third chances.”
BGSU junior defensemen Ben Wozney also thought the bounces were just not in the Falcons favor in game two.
“I thought the effort was there, the competition was there, obviously, a couple bounces did not go our way.” said Wozney.
The Colonials came out hot out of the gate in the first period as both teams traded chances back and forth, until the Falcons went on the power play as extra skater Gabriel Lunn was called for interference.
RMU killed that penalty but was back on the penalty kill once again. This time junior defenseman Trevor LeDonne was called for a high stick at the 11:36 point of the first and Robert Morris killed the penalty off once again.
Around five minutes later, both teams’ special teams had a chance on the 4-on-4 as Falcon transfer Owen Ozar and Colonial Thomas Hayes went into a scrum in front of the net, resulting in both spending two minutes in the sin bin for roughing.
The scoreless tie was finally be broken by Dominic Schimizzi, who scored RMU’s first goal since their program had returned. Stoever took advantage of tons of navy blue jerseys poking at a loose puck out in front with 3:26 left in the first.
The first period ended with another Robert Morris penalty as Cade Townsend was called for hooking, which resulted in the Falcons going back on the power play to start the second. The Colonials killed the penalty once again, keeping the Falcons scoreless through 23 minutes of play.
Robert Morris was the first team to score with the man advantage, as halfway through the middle frame Wozney was called for a trip, giving the Colonials their first power play of the period.
RMU capitalized on the minor penalty 11 seconds in as McKay Hayes found a deflected puck on his stick and an empty net in front to put the Colonials up two with 10:28 left in the second.
With 46 seconds left in the third period, RMU put the game on ice as fifth-year senior Logan Gaine scored his first goal of the season.
