LESNIKOV'S HAT-TRICK WASTED IN 8-4 LOSS TO RMU

Monday, January 22, 2018

PSU ALTOONA OPENED UP ITS SPRING SEMESTER WITH AN 8-4 LOSS TO THE COLONIALS OF ROBERT MORRIS ON SATURDAY NIGHT. WITH A SHORTENED ROSTER DUE TO HEALTH AND ACADEMIC INELIGIBILIY, THE LIONS WERE FORCED TO TRAVEL ON THE ROAD WITH A SHORTER ROSTER THAN USUAL. NICK AURILLO WOULD MAKE HIS START IN GOAL IN SEVERAL YEARS. RMU WOULD STRIKE FIRST BLOOD IN THE FIRST PERIOD AND WOULD LEAD PSU 1-0 AT THE END OF THE FIRST PERIOD. VINNIE DEFAZIO WOULD TIE THE GAME WITH A POWER PLAY GOAL IN THE SECOND PERIOD ASSISTED BY CATCHER CUMMING. RMU WOULD ADD TWO MORE IN THE SECOND PERIOD AND LEAD 3-1. THE COLONIALS WOULD SCORE TWO MORE GOALS EARLY IN THE THIRD PERIOD (ONE ON THE POWER PLAY). MAX LESNIKOV WOULD NARROW THE GAP 5-3 WITH BACK TO BACK GOALS ASSISTED BY BRENDAN GERTZ AND GAVIN GEORGE. PSU WOULD TAKE TWO UNDISCIPLINED PENALITIES THAT WOULD RESULT IN TWO RMU POWER PLAY GOALS. LESNIKOV WOULD COMPLETE THE HAT-TRICK, PULLING THE LIONS TO WITHIN 3, BEFORE THE COLONIALS WOULD MAKE IT 8-4 WITH 20 SECONDS LEFT. COACH LANTZ HAD THIS TO SAY ABOUT THE TEAMS PERFORMANCE. "ALL IN ALL, I WAS PLEASED WITH THE TEAM'S PERFROMANCE, HOWEVER, WE NEED TO ELIMINATE THE UNDISCIPLINED PENALTIES. AS WE GET INTO THE PLAYOFFS, THOSE TYPE OF PENALTIES CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE OF WINNING AND LOSING. PSU RETURNS TO LEAGUE PLAY SUNDAY 1-21-18 AGAINST THE SAINT VINCENT BEARCATS.