Freshman Christian Boucher recorded his second shutout with 28 saves and Robert Morris set a new team standard for goals in defeating Niagara, 6-0, in College Hockey America action at the RMU Island Sports Center Saturday.
With the win, the Colonials improved to 6-14-4 overall and 2-8-2 in CHA play. RMU is now unbeaten in its past three games with a 2-0-1 record and has its first two-game win streak of the season. Niagara fell to 10-14-1 on the year and 5-6-1 in conference play.
For RMU, Logan Bittle finished the game with two goals while Rob Cowan and Brett Hopfe each had two assists.
The Colonials exploded for four goals in the second period, starting just 1:05 in when Sean Berkstresser backhanded a deflected shot from Jace Buzek on the power play for a 1-0 lead.
Just 1:36 later, Nick Pernula tallied his first collegiate goal as he collected a rebound from his own shot and put it past Jeff Van Nynatten. The goal was set up by David Boguslawski and Hopfe, who freed the puck along the right boards.
Joe Federoff added a shorthanded goal at 8:09 when he ripped a wrist shot from the slot through Van Nynatten’s five-hole to make it 3-0. Hopfe picked up his second helper and Cowan also had an assist on the goal.
Another special-teams goal, this one on a five-on-three power play at 9:44, was Bittle’s first of the game as he tipped a shot by Doug Conley from the point into the roof of the net.
Bittle tallied his second 6:00 into the third period when he was set free by a pass from Cowan that sent him streaking down the right side. Bittle’s wrister beat backup netminder Scott Mollison on the glove side to make it 5-0 in favor of Robert Morris.
Joel Gasper tacked on with just 3:43 left in the game when he came through the left faceoff circle and found room on the short side of Mollison. Tom Biondich and Joey Olson were credited with an assist.
Van Nynatten allowed four goals and made 14 saves in two periods of work before giving way to Mollison, who stopped three shots in the third period. Robert Morris finished 2-for-8 on the power play while holding Niagara scoreless in 10 chances. Niagara outshot the Colonials, 28-23.
