Complete Box Score

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Robert Morris scored two goals in each of the first two periods and held on to defeat the Mercyhurst men's hockey team 4-2 on Saturday night at the Clearview Arena in suburban Pittsburgh. The loss dropped the Lakers to 16-12-4 overall and 13-6-4 in conference play, while the Colonials improved to 14-13-3 overall and 12-8-3 in the Atlantic Hockey standings.

With the loss, coupled with other results in the league on Saturday, Mercyhurst now sits in third place in the standings with four games left in the regular season. The Lakers trail first place Air Force by two points and second place RIT by a single point. Meanwhile, the Lakers are two points ahead of both Niagara and Bentley and three points ahead of Holy Cross and Robert Morris, leading to a wild finish for the top four spots in the conference standings. The top four teams earn a first round bye in the conference playoffs.

Sophomore Jordan Tibbett had his worst outing since rejoining the team back in December. He allowed four goals on 26 shots in the first two periods of play. Senior Max Strang relieved Tibbett in the third period and stopped all nine Robert Morris shots, keeping Mercyhurst within striking distance of a comeback.

The Colonials jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the opening period. Colin South struck first for the home team with his eighth goal of the season at the 6:23 mark. Nick Chiavetta and Tyson Wilson had the assists. The lead grew to two goals at the 9:49 mark, when Cody Crichton beat Tibbett for his seventh goal of the year. David Rigatti and Cody Wydo had the assists.

Shots favored Robert Morris in the opening period, 11-4.

The lead grew to 3-0 at the 3:12 mark of the second period, when Chiavetta got one past Tibbett for his ninth goal of the season. Brendan Jamison had the lone assist.

Mercyhurst would finally get on the board just 63 seconds later as junior Paul Chiasson scored his team-leading 12th goal of the season, solving Robert Morris goaltender Brooks Ostergard. Senior Derek Elliott and freshman Ryan Misiak had the assists.

However, the Colonials would regain their three-goal lead when Jeff Jones beat Tibbett for his fourth goal of the season at the 14:47 mark of the second period. Ron Cramer and Brandon Blandina had the assists. Robert Morris outshot the Lakers 15-14 in the second period.

Mercyhurst needed a goal early in the third period to have any hopes of making a comeback, and they got one. Elliott knocked home his 11th goal of the season just 3:54 into the final period, cutting the Robert Morris lead to 4-2. Freshman Daniel Bahntge and sophomore Nick Jones had the assists. But, the Lakers could get no closer, as a couple of minor penalties against Mercyhurst cost the Lakers even-strength ice or a lot of time with an extra attacker on the ice. The Lakers would pull Strang down by two goals, but with just sixty seconds left, after sophomore Kyle Just returned to the ice from the Mercyhurst penalty box.

Tibbett, as mentioned, stopped 22-of-26 Robert Morris shots over 40 minutes of action. He suffered his first loss of the season, dropping to 3-1-1 on the year. Strang was a perfect 9-of-9 in the third period. Meanwhile, Ostergard stopped 23-of-25 Mercyhurst shots in the win, improving to 8-9-2 on the season.

Neither team could capitalize on the power play. Robert Morris went 0-for-6 with the man advantage, while the Lakers were 0-for-4.

The huge stretch run continues for the Lakers next weekend, as Mercyhurst will make the trek to Colorado for a pair of contests against first-place Air Force. The Falcons lead the third-place Lakers by just two points in the conference standings and next weekend's games could have huge implications on seedings heading into tournament time. Faceoffs on both Friday and Saturday nights are scheduled for 7:05 p.m. MT (9:05 p.m. EST). The Lakers won their only matchup against Air Force earlier this season at the Mercyhurst Ice Center, 3-2, behind 32 saves from Strang.