Moon Township, Pa. (RMU Island Sports Center) -- Robert Morris University scored first and took a 3-0 lead into the third period before handing No. 5 Bemidji State University a 5-2 College Hockey America loss, Friday at RMU Island Sport Center in Moon Township, Pa.

The Beavers, now 18-7-2 overall and 10-3-0 in league action, have dropped their last two games to the Colonials.  RMU also defeated BSU 5-2 Jan. 30 in its final appearance in the John S. Glas Fieldhouse.

Despite a decisive advantage in shots on goal, 16-4, and a significant number of quality scoring opportunities during the first 20 minutes of play, the Beavers trailed the hosting Colonials 1-0.  Robert Morris took the first lead of the game when Dave Cowan threw the puck on net to beat a screened Dan Bakala (So., G, Calgary, Alberta) for his first goal of the season.

“That first period was a toughy because we played very well,” BSU head coach Tom Serratore said.  “You’d like to get a goal in that first period after all of our hard work and quality scoring changes. Then we had a breakdown defensively and they got that 1-0 lead and we never really came back from that.”

In the second, the Colonials seemed to keep the pressure on BSU.  However, the Beavers remained within a goal through the first 10 minutes of play, but at the 10:22 mark, RMU took a two-goal lead.  After Bakala made an initial save on a J.C. Velasquez shot, Bemidji State was unable to clear the puck and a Cowan shot was deflected in front of the net past Bakala by Ron Cramer to put the hosts up 2-0.

The Beavers didn’t commit a penalty during the first 37 minutes of play, but when it rains it pours. With Tyler Lehrke (Sr., F, Park Rapids, Minn.) in the box for hooking infraction at the 17:45 mark, BSU was whistled for too many men a minute later setting up 60 seconds of 5-on-3 advantage for the Coloinals.  RMU would need just 17 seconds to take a 3-0 lead, getting what would eventually become the game-winning goal from Nathan Longpre, who again took advantage of a scrum in front of the net to screen the BSU netminder.

“You know the chances of scoring on a 5-on-3 are pretty high,” commented Serratore.  “Obviously they converted.  That was a back-breaker.”

Robert Morris would extend its lead to 4-0 6:08 into the final stanza, effectively ending Bakala’s night after 46:48 between the pipes.  Freshman Mathieu Dugas (G, L’Assomption, Quebec) came off the bench in relief.

The change in goaltenders provided a spark for the Beavers.

Lehrke scored his sixth goal of the season, a career-high for the senior, to pull the Beavers within three goals, 4-1 with 6:26 to play.  

Despite pulling Dugas for an extra attacker with just over four minutes to play, the Beavers were left short-handed when Jamie MacQueen (So., F, St. Thomas, Ontario) was called for interference a the 17:32 mark.  However, Jordan George (Fr., F, Madison, Wis.) extended his scoring streak to five games, netting his first collegiate short-handed goal, and 13th goal of the season, with 2:03 to play.

But the Colonials would slam the door on the comeback 22 seconds later when Longpre netted his second goal of the evening, this time on an empty net, to give RMU the 5-2 victory.

Despite losing 5-2, BSU still holds a commanding 17-10-2 lead in the all-time series, while the series is 6-6-1 in games played in Moon Township, Pa.

The Beavers (18-7-2; 10-3-0 CHA) and Colonials (9-14-5; 5-5-3 CHA) will be back at it again tomorrow as the Beavers try to salvage a split.  The series final is set for 6:05 p.m. (CST) at the Island Sports Center.

--bsu--