The lights hit the 84 Lumber Arena Saturday night as the Colonials took on the Queen’s University Gales in a non-conference exhibition game that ended in a thrilling shootout with RMU prevailing 3-2. Because this was an exhibition game, the score is recorded as a 2-2 tie after the overtime period.

In the first period, both teams were off to a terrific start. Two minutes into the game, the Gales took a hooking penalty putting the Colonials on a power play.

After a strong Gales penalty kill, Queen’s then went on a relentless attack in the offensive zone. The Colonials had a few good chances after they were able to get the puck passed the blue line, and eventually Alex Dagnal took a two minute penalty for cross-checking.

The penalty kill for the Colonials was stellar, depleting the power play for the Queen’s with haste.

A face-off in the offensive zone for the Colonials led to the first goal of hopefully many for freshman Matthew Graham. The RMU goal was assisted by captain Rob Mann and Daniel Leavens. With a few scrums near the end of the period and a good shot by Queen’s, the first period ended with a score of 1-0 in favor of RMU.

The Gales came out with something to prove in the second. They assaulted Andrew Pikul, now in net for the Colonials. Six seconds later, Queen’s own Brock Edwards evened the game at 1-1.

Robert Morris picked it up after that goal, bringing the game back to an even tilt. A plethora of penalties would end up finishing the period. A hooking penalty to Dylan Anderson of Queen’s put the Colonials on the power play that would be cut short by a penalty of RMU’s Brady Ferguson.

The teams traded penalties for the remainder of the period with no additional scores to show for it.

Four minutes into the third, the Gales took a penalty, and the Colonials were able to capitalize just one minute into that power play with the goal coming from Leavens.

Things got a bit out of hand a few minutes after the goal was scored.

Queen’s Slater Doggett and RMU’s Jacob Coleman got into a scuff as they were going for a line change that ended with Doggett ripping the helmet of Coleman off and tossing it towards center ice. Originally, Doggett was going to get a five-minute major instead of a game misconduct; then, the referees sent Doggett back to the locker room by making the penalty a game misconduct.

Coleman ended up with just a roughing penalty.

Queen’s would score with a deflection from Spencer Abraham, though that goal did not count as a power play goal. With balanced play for the remaining time of the period, the third would end in a 2-2 tie.

The overtime period might as well have been called the Colonial period because it was all RMU in overtime. With Queen’s only recording one shot in overtime, the Colonials registered seven that were either blocked or missed the net. At the end of the overtime period, as far as the league is concerned, the game was over. A shootout would occur but would not count on the official record.

The shootout went to five rounds. In the fifth round, sophmore Alex Tonge’s number was called. With a crazy shot, Tonge beat the goaltender on the backhand and “won” the game for the Colonials.

The Colonials are going on a road trip and will not be back until the Oct. 28 when they face Army West Point. RMU’s official opener is Oct. 7 against RIT.