PITTSBURGH, Pa. Freshman Shawn McBride (Victoria, B.C.) scored the lone goal for American International College in a, 7-1, setback to Robert Morris University in Atlantic Hockey Conference action this evening from 84 Lumber Arena.
Bobby Mo improves to 4-2-2 on the year and 3-1-2 in Atlantic Hockey play while the Yellow Jackets fall to 1-9-0 overall and 1-4-0 in league action.
RMU came out of the gates fired up after the loss last night and started the scoring early. Senior Brandon Denham (Milton, Ont.) sent a blast toward the net that deflected off an AIC stick and past junior Hunter Leisner (Garland, Tx.) for the 1-0 lead at 1:36 of the first period.
The Colonials then extended the lead further on a power-play as Leisner made a tremendous save on the left side of the net, but the rebound was sent off the end boards and found senior Zac Lynch (Pittsburgh, Pa.) on the right side and the senior didn't miss the wide open net for the 2-0 edge at 4:07 of the frame.
Senior Greg Gibson (Burlington, Ont.) then ripped a wrist shot from the slot off a great feed from the left by junior Daniel Leavens (Thornhill, Ont.) for the 3-0 lead at 9:03 of the period.
Robert Morris then extended its lead to 4-0 after sophomore Alex Dagnal (Pittsburgh, Pa.) registered his first of the season off a rebound attempt at 16:32.
RMU then extended the lead all the way to 7-0 before AIC would register a goal in the second period. Leavens wasted little time opening the middle frame with a score as he fired a shot from the left dot just 14 seconds into the period for the 5-0 advantage.
Sophomore classmates Brady Ferguson (Lewsville, Tx.) and Timmy Moore (Grosse Pointe, Mich.) added scores at 6:36 and 10:26, respectively for the 7-0 margin.
The Jackets cut into the deficit with a power-play goal as sophomore Johno May (Mahtomedi, Minn.) found sophomore Bryant Christian (Moorehead, Minn.) who continued the puck on to freshman Shawn McBride (Victoria, B.C.) in the slot for a quick slap-shot to beat junior Dalton Izyk (Oswego, N.Y.) for the 7-1 score at 17:05.
AIC attempted to cut into the deficit further as May made a nice play on a puck in the offensive zone holding off a defender and getting a stick on it to junior Austin Orszulak (Springfield, Mass.), but his bid to pick the right post was met by the goaltender's glove at 9:56 of the third.
The Bobby Mo defense continued to play a strong final period as they killed off back-to-back power-plays three quarters of the way through the frame and the visitors couldn't get any closer as the final horn sounded.
Leisner falls to 0-5-0 on the season with the loss as he stopped 29 shots while Izyk improves to 3-0-1 on the season after making 15 saves over the first two periods before he was relieved for sophomore Andrew Pikul (Cleveland, Ohio) who stopped 12 pucks in the final frame.
American International was outshot on the evening 36-28 and went 1-for-6 with the man-advantage while RMU was 1-for-3 on the power-play.
AIC now returns home for a Tuesday night affair with Sacred Heart University with a 7:05 p.m. puck drop.
