Export, PA- The RMU Roller Hockey team is flying out the gate to start this season, picking up another 3-0 weekend record to improve to a 5-1 record this season. It started with a back and forth contest with Penn State that RMU took 7-5. Next up for the team was West Chester, who they defeated in the preseason. The Colonials made it two in a row against the Golden Rams with a 10-4 victory, their largest margin of victory on the weekend. Finally, they paired up with the Rochester Institute of Technology. In a surprisingly defensive matchup Robert Morris came out victorious 2-0.Â
The team has not started 5-1 in the regular season since 2015. That season the Colonials made it all the way to the Final Four in the NCRHA. RMU is off to a hot start and will look to keep it going down the stretch.
Game 1: RMU wins 7-5 over Penn State
The Colonials started the weekend against the Nittany Lions, and RMU started the goal scoring for this one.
Nathan Robl scored first for the Colonials at the 4:29 mark, giving them a 1-0 lead. PSU would comeback with two goals of their own to make it a 2-1 game at the end of the 1st.
The 2nd period was were RMU began to break away, scoring 5 of the next 6 goals. It started with
Cameron Zahn tying the game a minute into the period, and then
Sean Lawrence making it 3-2 for the Colonials shortly after. Penn State would tie the game at 3, but then RMU took off. A power play dart from
Jack Clendaniel helped RMU regain the lead. Lawrence got his 2nd of the period to make it a 5-3 game with a few to go in the period. A power play goal from captain
Jesse Zahn elevated RMU to a 6-3 lead before periods end.
The Nittany Lions got one before the end of the 2nd to bring the game to 6-4.
Jesse Zahn buried his 2nd of the morning midway through the period as an insurance marker. Goaltender
Tyler Cerminara made some key stops in the 3rd. He turned away 10 of the Nittany Lions 11 shots in the 3rd, and helped preserve a 7-5 win for RMU.Â
Game 2: RMU wins 10-4 over West Chester
West Chester took the early lead with a power play goal, but their lead would not hold for long. The Colonials answered with a
Connor McCabe goal and then a
Cameron Zahn power play goal a few minutes after to take the 2-1 lead. West Chester tied the game with seconds left before intermission.
The 2nd period was also closely contested throughout. Robert Morris went up 4-2 after goals from
Sean Lawrence and
Jack Clendaniel, but WCU tied it with back to back goals of their own.
Jesse Zahn's goal with a minute and a half to go in the period made it 5-4 Colonials.
RMU expanded on their 1 goal lead in the third and then some. Five straight goals in the third helped really open up the game on the scoreboard. It started with Clendaniel to make it 6-4. A power play goal from Vince Passante made it 7-4. Lawrence got another and
Nathan Robl made it 9-4, and a shorthanded goal from
Cameron Zahn would stand as the final goal of the game as the Colonials skated off with the 10-4 victory.
Game 3: RMU shuts out RIT 2-0
This was an uncharacteristically low score for the Colonials. RMU has found it self several times already this season in offensive shoot outs with other schools, but that was not the case this game. Starting Goaltender TJ Caton was lights out for RMU, turning aside all 26 shots he faced for his 2nd shutout of the season. This breaks the previous club single season shutout record of 1. The lone goals were scored by Clendaniel and
Connor McCabe.
RMU currently sits tied for 1st in the ECRHA. Junior forward
Jack Clendaniel currently sits 5th in the ECRHA with 15 points so far this season (7 goals, 8 assists). Goaltender TJ Caton ranks 2nd in the ECRHA in Goals Against Average (3.75 GAA), Save Percentage (.861 SV%), and Wins (3). Forward
Cameron Zahn also finds himself top 5 in a category, sitting 5th right now in assists with 9.Â
The team's next games are massive, as they take on the other top 2 teams in the ECRHA right now next weekend. They play Northeastern (5-2) and Massachusetts (4-1-1) next weekend in Feasterville, PA. They'll also play Rowan (0-7) as the 3rd game of the weekend.
Alexander Gagnon '21
Club Sport Information Director
