In a chippy game that featured nine penalties, a major and game misconduct against Air Force, and scrums after nearly every whistle, the No. 3 Robert Morris Colonials men’s hockey team wrapped up its Atlantic Hockey America quarterfinal playoff series with a 5-2 win Sunday at Clearview Arena.
Montour alum Michael Felsing led the Colonials, delivering two goals — one that put them up 3-0 before the end of the second period and the dagger to go up 4-2 with six minutes to play in the third.
The Falcons outshot the Colonials 62 to 17, but RMU goaltender Charlie Schenkel made an astounding 60 saves.
“Everybody contributed, from our video coach to everybody on the bench,” RMU coach Derek Schooley said after his team closed out the best-of-three series with its second straight win.
“Obviously it was a great goaltending performance by Charlie, and we played a lot of good hockey. Michael Felsing was outstanding and we had contributions from a lot of guys.”
In a physical game with a finished check every play, the Colonials were the ones standing tall and moving on to the AHA semifinals. RMU will open its best-of-three series at No. 2 seed at Sacred Heart Friday, March 13.
Felsing said Air Force was a fast, physical team that was “hard on pucks every play.”
“You just have to keep your head up, know what you’re doing before you even get the puck, and support each other and talk out there,” he said.
The Colonials did just that as they prevented the Falcons from getting in too close.
Air Force brought the energy despite trailing 3-0 heading into the third period. The Falcons unloaded 38 shots in the first two periods and continued to pepper Schenkel with shots in the final 20 minutes.
Air Force finally scored when Jake Peterson ripped a bar down right over Schenkel’s right shoulder to make it 3-1. Aidan Willis and Holt Oliphant assisted on the goal.
Two minutes later, the Falcons’ Connor Gourley cut the lead to 3-2 with 11 minutes to play.
Air Force had the puck in the Colonials’ zone but Felsing pressured the Falcons blueliners as he stripped the puck and was all alone with goaltender Dominik Wasik. Felsing went from his backhand to his forehand sliding it past Wasik, who left the crease, to go up 4-2 with a little over 7 minutes remaining.
“I was just seeing what the goalie was giving me, seeing what was open and what wasn’t,” Felsing said. “I was letting my brain do the rest and playing hockey.”
Felsing’s goal to go up 4-2 stuck a fork in Air Force.
“That was huge,” Schooley said. “We were leaking oil a little bit there in the third period and needed a big play. Big-time players make big-time plays, and that was one of them. We’re just happy we get to keep practicing on Tuesday.”
John Babcock added one more insurance goal on a full-ice empty-netter, assisted by Dominic Elliott and Cameron Garvey. Elliot mustered two assists.
Despite Air Force’s immense pressure and its ability to beat the Colonials to pucks late, RMU held firm as it never trailed.
The Colonials killed five Falcon power plays, stifling the Air Force momentum.
The Colonials defense blocked 37 shots with Babcock blocking eight and Elliott tallying six.
“It’s huge to block shots,” Felsing said. “They’re a really good hockey team and we know blocking shots is important for Chuck and for all of us. It keeps us engaged and makes things a little easier for him.”
Schooley was impressed with Schenkel, and he also thought the defense played outstanding in terms of its positioning.
“They were throwing pucks from everywhere trying to get whistles and faceoffs,” Schooley said. “Our goaltending was good, our shot-blocking was good and we earned that win. It wasn’t given to us.”
The Colonials struck first when Max Wattvil ripped a one-timer from the blue line over the shoulder of Wasik.
George Krotiris threw a breakout pass to Jackson Reinecke, who skated the puck near the Air Force bench and centered a pass to a ready Wattvil.
RMU controlled play for play for the rest of the first period after Air Force was in charge for the first half of the period. Air Force drew two penalties but RMU killed both Falcon power plays.
After a game misconduct on Air Force’s Will Dawson, the Colonials capitalized.
Three seconds after the power play ended, Elliot fed Ryan Taylor in the slot, and he ripped it by Wasik. Luke Van Why picked up the secondary assist.
The Colonials, with all the momentum, piled on as Felsing buried a one timer on a 2-on-1 break with Julian Beaumont coming down the wing and finding a crashing Felsing for the goal.
“It was just a nice play by our line,” Felsing said. “We talk a lot about building chemistry and we finally showed it tonight. It was a great pass by Willy to Bo, and then it came to me for the finish.”
Schooley added: “Our guys were really good in the neutral zone, turning 50-50 pucks into offense. I thought we made some really good offensive plays tonight.”
The Colonials are hungry for an automatic bid in the NCAA tournament.
“We’re having a good second half and a good run, and we’re really proud of where we are,” Schooley said of his team, which improved to 15-19-3 overall. “Now we’ve got to go on the road and hopefully, with a little luck, maybe bring a championship game back into this building.”
(Photos by Mike Longo Jr.)
Be First to Comment