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 Stavros Paskaris scored his ninth goal of the season Friday against Robert Morris. |
Feb. 8, 2008
DETROIT - The Wayne State men's hockey team (8-19-2, 4-9-0 CHA) suffered a 3-1 setback to league rival Robert Morris (12-11-3, 7-4-2 CHA) Friday night at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum. It marked the Warriors' fourth loss in as many meetings this season with the Colonials.
Stavros Paskaris (Dearborn, Mich./Kewadin Indians) netted his team-high ninth goal of the season, but three Colonials posted two-point games as RMU defeated the Warriors in Detroit for the first time since Jan. 23, 2005.
Robert Morris scored twice in nine opportunities with a man advantage. Wayne State amassed 10 penalties, the most since totaling 11 at Ferris State in October.
On a power play with under five minutes to go in the opening period, Chris Kaufman swiped a loose puck after a blocked shot from Denny Urban and skated to the left circle before sending a backhand pass across the zone to Sean Berkstresser for a one-timer.
Wayne State's opponents have a 18-3-2 record in games in which they are the first to light the lamp this season.
Paskaris' even-strength tally tied the score at one apiece 3:30 into the second period. Jeff Caister (Mississauga, Ont./Milton Icehawks) sent a pass along the blue line to Ryan Bernardi (Etobicoke, Ont./Milton Icehawks), who had his shot blocked but collected his own rebound and found Paskaris open between the circles.
Just over 20 minutes later, a turnover in the neutral zone set up Cruthers for a short-handed breakaway goal, which proved to be the game-winner. Chris Margott, who assisted on the play, would get help from Cruthers on his power-play tally at 16:40 which put the Colonials ahead by a pair.
Shots on goal went in favor of the visitors, 30-22. RMU netminder Christian Boucher totaled 21 saves, while Brett Bothwell (Red Deer, Alb./Yorkton Terriers) stopped 27 shots for Wayne State.
The two teams will meet again Saturday night for a 7:05 p.m. faceoff at the Coliseum.
