The Chargers allowed five goals in the third period, losing their season opener 5-2 at Robert Morris in Pittsburgh on Saturday.
UAH was up 1-0 after two periods, but it seemed to all go downhill after goaltender David Fessenden left the game after getting hurt in warmups before the third.
Fessenden had stopped all 20 shots he faced to keep the Chargers in contention after Bauer Neudecker put UAH on the board first at the 2:52 mark. Neudecker backhanded in a loose puck in the crease that had trickled through RMU goaltender Dyllan Lubbesmeyer.
It was a great start for the new captain Neudecker, who was shut out of the net last season after a seven-goal freshman year. Dayne Finnson and Peyton Francis got the assists.
The Chargers (0-1-0) had a chance to pad their lead when RMU’s Darcy Walsh plowed UAH freshman Josh Corrow into the boards at 3:47. Walsh got five minutes for boarding and a game misconduct, but while UAH got four shots on net, the Chargers couldn’t convert on the ensuing power play.
The Colonials (1-0-0) had a five-minute power play of their own with 2:48 left in the period after Garrett Clegg skated into Connor Merkley’s arm. Merkley was assessed a major contact to the head penalty and a game misconduct.
UAH kills about half the penalty to end the first and the other half to start the second.
Then the Chargers had to kill another penalty, a Brian Scoville holding call, immediately afterward. UAH killed a third penalty with 7:59 left in the second.
Robert Morris used the power play time and overall increased pressure to outshoot the Chargers 12-4 in the second period, but David Fessenden’s saves and 13 blocked shots to keep RMU off the scoreboard.
The wheels fell off to start the third after Fessenden hurt himself during warmups.
The training staff worked on him from the bench for several minutes, but eventually he was escorted to the locker room. In came sophomore George McBey, making his college debut in sub-optimal circumstances.
The Colonials quickly pounced, scoring three goals in the first eight minutes of the third period. Jordan Timmons sneaked one in between the post and McBey, Nick Jenny scored as a power play expired, and Grant Hebert scored from the slot as McBey never saw the puck.
Nick Lalonde made it 4-1 with 5:23 to go.
Tyr Thompson cut RMU’s lead to 4-2 with a nice rebound goal with 3:37 left, but Timmonds scored on a breakaway just eight seconds later for the final three-goal margin.
Tyrone Bronte was credited with the assist on Thompson’s goal for his first point as a Charger.
RMU outshot UAH 43-13 for the game, including a 23-3 advantage in the third period.
Game two of the series is Sunday afternoon at 3:05 p.m. Central Time.