After a long string of road games, the RMU ACHA DI hockey team returned home for its first time since October and for the first time in 2015.

Friday’s game was set to be one of the biggest of the year, as the Colonials skated against John Carroll University. Despite a rough start to the game RMU was able to pull a win out for both the fans and the several recruits who were in for the weekend.

JCU would strike first with forward Kevin Vineyard putting the puck behind senior goaltender Ryan Gayso. The Blue Streaks had a 2-0 lead heading into the second period, but RMU had other plans to begin the second.

“Coach Joseph really laid into them during the first intermission. We felt like they were pretty lackadaisical, they weren’t doing anything we coach them to do. They we’re playing the game that they’re used to doing,” said assistant coach Conrad Waite. “They came out with a little more fire in the second. And I think as a team we played a lot quicker and a lot smarter.”

The squad did just that with Travis Reece notching the first goal for the team at 10:48, with the assists going to Carlos Quevedo-Biel and Cody Brightbill.

Quevedo-Biel would find the back of the net for his second point of the evening at the 7:56. At the end of two, the game was tied at two.

“I was just coming down in the zone and the coach has been on me about shooting the puck and not trying to go through the D,” said Reece. “So I just crossed through the blue line, just got it on net and it just happened to go in. It was pretty nice.”

The remaining time in regulation would prove to be uneventful, forcing a 4-on-4 five minute overtime period. Must like the previously played 20 minutes, both teams remained off the board, which lead to a shootout.

RMU opted to shoot first, sending Reece to the ice and giving them the first goal. Gayso stopped his first shooter, Cullen McMahon, bringing up senior James Joyce for the Colonials.

Joyce would put the team up 2-0 as JCU sent its second and potentially last shooter to the ice. Matt Thomas however had different plans for the Blue Streaks and would cut the lead in half.

Captain Wes Heinle then closed out the night when he shot the puck behind Matt Russell, leading to a final score of 3-2.

“I certainly don’t think that the first period showed them too much about how we like to play,” Joseph said. “But I think the second and third period showed them that when we get to our game and we play tough, make smart plays and play quick we can play with anybody.”