Pietrobon’s Short-Handed Goal Propels Niagara to 5-3 Win Over RMU
NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – Stephen Pietrobon scored a short-handed goal at 17:35 of the final period en route to Niagara’s 5-3 victory over Robert Morris, snapping the Colonials’ nine-game unbeaten streak Thursday evening at Dwyer Arena.
TJ Sarcona began the game-winning goal with a poke check in the defensive zone that resulted in a breakaway. The freshman fought off defenseman Tyson Wilson and saw his forehand attempt just outside the blue paint stymied by RMU goaltender Terry Shafer, but the trailing Pietrobon was not far behind to cash in on the rebound at 17:35 for his fourth of the year, and the squad’s sixth shorthanded goal of the season.
Ryan Rashid added an empty net tally with 40 seconds remaining to solidify the team’s victory and extend their unbeaten streak to four games, the longest of the season.
“Pietrobon and Sarcona are quite a tandem. It seems like more times than not we talk about them after a game so hats off to both of them for getting us this huge win tonight,” head coach Dave Burkholder said. “Our penalty kill this year has been a work in progress, but I thought tonight we were very aggressive and didn’t sit back. I’m proud of the team for preserving and gutting it out the way they did.”
Kevin Ryan, Brock Edwards and Sarcona accounted for Niagara’s first trio of goals, while starting goalie Adrian Ignagni pushed aside 27 Robert Morris looks on net.
“The Conderman, Edwards and Conte line, as well as the Lochner, Divjak and Alfieri line really sparked us all night,” added Burkholder. “When we’d lose momentum it would seem like one of those lines would get us going again. It’s another game where we win and our top line only accounts for the empty netter. That’s huge.”
The lone goal of the opening period came off the stick of Sarcona just 1:06 into the contest. The freshman raced down the near boards and uploaded a hard a low shot towards the cage that beat Shafer glove side.
The scoring picked up in the second period as both Robert Morris and Niagara found the back of the net to make it a 3-2 in favor of the Colonials. Robert Morris started and ended the scoring in the frame, beginning with a Brandon Denham tally at 3:57to even the game at one apiece. A Wydo pass to the front of the slot was fanned on by Greg Gibson, but Denham smacked the puck past Ignagni for his seventh of the season.
Edwards put Niagara on the board for the second time that evening, putting the Purple Eagles ahead, 2-1 at 7:48. The freshman took advantage of space in the faceoff circle and ripped a wrist shot past Shafer’s glove for his fifth of the year.
The Colonials picked up the frame’s final pair of goals as David Friedman and Gibson each secured their eighth scores of the season to put the Purple Eagles behind for the first time in the contest.
Trailing the Colonials 3-2 with 7:44 remaining in regulation, Ryan uploaded a hard slap shot from the top of the slot snuck through traffic and beat Shafer to make it a 3-3 contest. It was the senior’s fourth goal of the year and was assisted by Edwards and Patrick Conte.
Niagara went 0-for-2 on the power play, while stopping 0-of-5 Robert Morris man-up opportunities. The shot county went in favor of the Purple Eagles, 39-30.
The Purple Eagles and Colonials take to the ice at 84 Lumber Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa. on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 7:05 p.m.
