THE LEAD
Just four days after the Three Rivers Classic, the 19th-ranked Colonials will play the first outdoor game in program history, taking the ice against Bowling Green in the open air of Toledo’s Fifth Third Field. Following that unique opportunity, the two teams will conclude their modified home-and-home series on Sunday night at 84 Lumber Arena.
ABOUT ROBERT MORRIS
– Robert Morris and Bowling Green will become the 24th and 25th NCAA Division I teams to play outside; RMU is the ninth Atlantic Hockey school to do so. The game will be the 27th outdoor contest to feature D-I teams.
– This is the first time RMU has had three consecutive games against different ranked opponents, as Bowling Green comes in at No. 13. The Colonials beat 20th-ranked Penn State on Monday and fell to No. 14/17 Colgate in Tuesday’s Three Rivers Classic title game.
– The Colonials’ 4-2 victory over Penn State at CONSOL Energy Center was their first against a ranked team in exactly two years, when RMU blanked No. 5 Miami 1-0 in the championship game of the 2012 Three Rivers Classic.
– Three Colonials earned weekly conference honors for their performances on the Penguins’ home ice: forward Daniel Leavens (1 goal, 1 assist), defenseman Chase Golightly (1 assist, 8 blocks) and goalie Terry Shafer (35 saves, win).
– This weekend marks the final non-AHC series of the regular season, as RMU will finish its scheduled games with 14 consecutive matchups against league opponents. Bowling Green will likely be the final ranked team on the docket, at least until the playoffs.
– FUN FACT: Tuesday marked RMU’s first loss of the season when scoring the first goal. The Colonials are now 9-1-2 when breaking the ice.
SCOUTING BOWLING GREEN
– Much like Robert Morris, Bowling Green played tremendous hockey during the 2014 portion of its schedule. The Falcons have taken up residence in the national rankings since early November, rising to their all-time high of No. 13.
– Although Bowling Green hasn’t played since Dec. 6, a 5-0 shutout of Northern Michigan, the Falcons carry the nation’s third-longest unbeaten streak (4-0-1) into the weekend. Their 8-1-1 league record has them third in the WCHA, three points out of first place.
– Fifth-year head coach Chris Bergeron leads a team that features more underclassmen (18) than upperclassmen (12), but the youthful Falcons have been sound at both ends of the ice. They’re 11th in D-I in goals per game (3.31) and 18th in goals allowed (2.19).
– Sophomores man the top three spots on the Falcons’ scoring list, with Matt Pohlkamp (13 points) leading the way. Kevin Dufour (9 goals) and Pierre-Luc Mercier (9 assists) have 12 points each; freshman Brandon Hawkins has 11.
– Junior Tommy Burke (.917 save percentage) has manned the goal in eight starts, while freshman Chris Nell (.945) is unbeaten in five. The Falcons’ defensive prowess is further aided by their second-ranked penalty kill (91.8 percent).
– FUN FACT: Bowling Green edged RMU 3-2 in the only previous meeting between the two teams, the 2013 Three Rivers Classic consolation game.
COLONIALS IN THE MEDIA
Monday Recap: Colonials shake off Penn State in Classic win
Tuesday Recap: RMU scores first, but Colgate claims trophy
Web Story: Leavens, Golightly, Shafer honored by conference
Photo Galleries: vs. Penn State | vs. Colgate
USCHO.com: RMU in position to claim first Atlantic Hockey regular-season crown
A Banner Year: The year 2014 saw the Colonials rise from the bottom of the Atlantic Hockey Conference to a league title and NCAA Tournament appearance, followed by a historic start to the 2014-15 season. Since the calendar turned, RMU went 29-9-6 for a .727 points percentage. The Colonials were also the highest-scoring program in the nation over that span, netting 172 goals in 44 games for a potent 3.91 goals-per-game average.
Kudos From Atlantic Hockey: The Colonials have not only succeeded on a team-wide basis this season, they’ve also earned several individual honors. On top of Cody Wydo and Dalton Izyk each earning Atlantic Hockey monthly awards in October, RMU has claimed nine AHC player of the week honors through the first half. David Friedmann (Offensive Player of the Week), Shafer (Goalie) and Izyk (Goalie) have won two awards each, with Wydo, Golightly and Rob Mann taking one apiece.
Another Scoring Line: The 2014-15 Colonials boast impressive scoring depth, exemplified by the success of Friedmann, Leavens and Brady Ferguson. Since being united on Nov. 1 against RIT, the trio has combined for 38 points (15g, 23a) in 11 games. They were especially prolific from Nov. 21 to Dec. 13, accumulating 11 goals and 16 assists during RMU’s five-game unbeaten streak. -From RMU staff.