NEVILLE TOWNSHIP– Coming off of a series on the road versus Army, where they split a two-game series, RMU men’s hockey welcomed the Canisius Golden Griffins to the Clearview Arena for the last home stand of the season.

Robert Morris (10-20-3, 7-14-2 AHA) faced off against Canisius (10-17-4, 9-10-4 AHA) for the second time this season, looking for a little bit of revenge after the Colonials’ trip to Buffalo did not work out the first time these teams met.

On the night before their senior night, the Colonials would battle hard, but it would not be enough, as RMU would fall to the Golden Griffins with a final score of 5-3

RMU would start this game how any home team should, playing fast and getting pucks to the net. They dominated the first five minutes with seven shots.

Canisius would strike first, getting the scoring underway with their first goal coming just 5:49 into the game. Soon after, they would make it 2-0 on back-to-back shots on goal.

After dominating the start, Robert Morris would struggle for the rest of the first period to find footing in the game. Canisius would make it 3-0 inside the first 15 minutes.

The Colonials would tack one on the scoresheet before the end of the first when Jackson Reineke put it in behind the Canisius netminder. Reineke would get his ninth of the season on that scoring play.

Head Coach Derek Schooley had some thoughts about the first period scoring for Canisius.

“They capitalized on the opportunities we gave them. We can’t give them those kinds of opportunities. Their best players were their best players tonight, and we gave them chances that we can’t give them.”

Giving up three goals in a row and five for the game is not the best, especially when the team had the offensive power tonight.

“We were good offensively, but we have to tighten up defensively,” Coach Schooley said. “We can’t give up five goals at home. If we score three, then we should win a hockey game.”

The second period would start like the first, where the Colonials would emerge and dominate the period. A lapse in concentration would let a Canisius player walk right in. They took a free shot on RMU goalie Francis Boisvert to make it 4-1 Golden Griffins.

But RMU never backed off, and there was a lot of belief that this team would fight back into this game.

“We didn’t quit, we worked hard and got our opportunities, but we gave up five goals; that is a good hockey team, and we can’t do that,” Coach Schooley said. “We have to be better defensively, but we didn’t quit. We played hard.”

The one thing that was clicking was the powerplay for this Colonial team. The Colonials went 2-for-3 with goals from Jackson Reinike and Colonial captain Rylee St. Onge.

“We got some net-front traffic and a couple of good plays,” Schooley said. “Reineke to Tulik back door to St. Onge and a good play by Reineke on the first one. We had chances six on five, and when you get those chances, you have to capitalize, and we didn’t do that today.”

RMU will have a quick turnaround to tighten up defensively in time for tomorrow night’s game.

Robert Morris will celebrate their seniors tomorrow night on Senior Night for a rematch against Canisius. Puck drop is set for 5 p.m.