Three Rivers Classic: Hometown team RMU prevails, wins championship

In the championship battle of the Three Rivers Classic, the hometown Robert Morris Colonials would go on to beat the UMass Lowell River Hawks 5-3.

The puck dropped for the championship of the Three Rivers Classic and the atmosphere on the ice and in the arena was a lot different than the previous night Robert Morris matchup against Penn State. Both teams started the game at a much slower speed. The Colonials were basically an all dump and chase offense to start, and there were only five shots between both teams in the first six minutes.

Then in the seventh minute there was finally some life in Bobby Mo, as Brady Ferguson rifled in a second chance effort to give the Colonials the first goal of the night while on the power play. The goal was assisted by Chase Golightly.

Just a few minutes later star right wing for the Colonials Zac Lynch took a hard hit into the boards, and was slow to get up. He would go off to the bench, appearing shaken up, but would return to the game later, getting a chance to get some payback.

More from Robert Morris University

• Big Week for Robert Morris University Colonials Athletics
• Three Rivers Classic: Robert Morris vs Penn State recap
• Three Rivers Classic preview: Robert Morris vs Penn State showdown
• Rodney Pryor, RMU guard, named Northeast Conference Player of the Week
• Robert Morris basketball recovers from slump, squeaks past Lehigh

At the end of the first, Brandon Denham would go to the sin bin for an interference call, and UMass would answer the Colonials back on the power play for their first goal of the night, scored by Chris Forney.

The second period would go on to be the exact opposite as the first, with four goals coming in just 12 minutes of play.

Joe Gambardella would be the first to strike in the second period, with a a shot that would fall into the back of the net but then go under review. There was a possibility the puck went off of his left skate and in, but there was no conclusive angle for the referees and the shot would be marked as a goal.

Just two minutes later UML would score yet again, this time coming from Ryan McGrath, his sixth goal of the season.

Lynch’s revenge for his hard hit would come just seconds after that goal, when he would go on to score the fifth goal of the night, shrinking the Colonials deficit to just one goal. Matt Cope would be able to tie it up in the 11th minute of the second period, making it 3-3 at the end of the second.

Play would slow down a bit at the start of the third period of the Three Rivers Classic, but then return to the normality of the Colonials speed later on. Robert Morris’ Denham would make up for his time in the penalty box earlier by getting RMU the lead with just 11 minutes left to play.

UMass would try their hardest to tie it up and send it into overtime, but Lynch would score yet again to put the game out of reach with 2:18 left to play.

Next: Pitt run over by Reynolds, Navy in 44-28 loss at Military Bowl

Robert Morris returns to action January 2nd to face Dartmouth College in the Ledyard Classic.