Bouncing back
If there’s a best time to pull out of a slump in college hockey, doing it right before the holiday break is right up there. Coaches will tell you any time is right to snap a losing streak, but ending the first semester on a high note certainly helps.
Another great time to put things right is just before a big tournament that provides national exposure. Teams want to put their best foot (skate?) forward at those events.
So for Robert Morris, this past weekend’s sweep of state rival Mercyhurst is just what the doctor ordered.
The Colonials have struggled, and headed into the weekend in eighth place in Atlantic Hockey and in the midst of a four-game losing streak, their longest since the 2008-2009 season.
But a pair of wins and four points moved RMU into a tie for third place, and provides some confidence going into the annual Three Rivers Classic Tournament, which kicks off on December 29. The Colonials will host Lake Superior State in the first round, and face either No. 11 Providence or Arizona State the following day.
Bouncing back, part II
Robert Morris senior Brady Ferguson had gotten off to a slow start, by his standards anyway. After tallying five points in his first two games of the the 2017-18 season, he cooled off, scoring a total of seven points in his next fourteen games.
Ferguson started to find his groove a couple of weeks ago and entered the Mercyhurst series with four points in his past three games. But he took things to another level with a whopping seven points against the Lakers, including two goals and two assists in Saturday’s 5-2 win on home ice, and three more assists in Sunday’s 5-3 victory at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.
Looking ahead
As mentioned, the next challenge for the Colonials is the Three Rivers Classic, held Dec. 29-30 at Pittsburgh’s PPG Paints Arena.
This is the sixth year for the tournament, and RMU has a great track record, winning the championship three times. Maybe this new momentum will power Robert Morris to another title.
