Robbie Fallick returns to ACHA Club Team
September 9, 2009 by Dave Weldon
Filed under Off-season
On August 16th, it was announced that RMU Club goaltender Robbie Fallick was to join the NCAA team as the 3rd goaltender. The RMU NCAA Coaching staff has confirmed that Robbie has decided to rescind the offer to the NCAA team and re-join his club team.
Coach Schooley’s intention with Robbie on the NCAA team was to have him slotted as the team’s third goaltender. He most likely would have seen most of his playing time in the Exhibition games coming up, and during any games that RMU would have been well ahead. That’s not a knock on Robbie, but Coach Schooley has already made the investment on returning Sophomore goaltender Brooks Ostergard and incoming Freshman Eric Levine. Robbie’s numbers last season at the club level were extremely respectable, he had great support to bring him to a 22-7 record, but with a 3.07 GAA and a Save Percentage of .891, that’s significantly lower than what you would place a goaltender in a starting role at the NCAA level, and it would be assumed that his numbers would be a lot higher against a better level of competition.
RMU will be looking for another 3rd goaltender to carry on the roster this year, and they wish Robbie the best of luck in his Junior season with the Club Team, hopefully bringing them another ECHL Championship and their Fourth straight trip to the National Tournament.
INCH.com highlights Denny Urban on Labor Day
September 7, 2009 by Dave Weldon
Filed under Off-season
Inch.com is doing their yearly A-Z, following every team in NCAA hockey, and pulling one player to highlight, and this year, it’s RMU’s Denny Urban.
Last season INCH.com highlighted Sophomore Forward Nathan Longpre as the player to watch, and Nathan did nothing more than EXPLODE on his line with Senior Chris Margott, scoring 41 points.
Urban’s Sophomore year put him third on the team in scoring (27 points 4G-23A) and tops among defensemen. He only aims to move up that ladder, manning the point yet again on the top powerplay line is almost certain.
Key Statistics: A first-team All-CHA defenseman, Urban finished third on the team in scoring with 27 points—more than double the combined total of any other two Colonials defensemen. Enters 2009-10 just two points from tying the school mark for career scoring by a defenseman held by Chris Kaufman, despite the fact that Urban has played fewer than half the number of games Kaufman did. Urban has 48 points in 66 games.
What He Does: The hometown boy isn’t afraid to jump up into the rush, but he has gotten better in the defensive zone as he has gained more game experience. With the rest of the defense, Urban helped turn Robert Morris’ season around in front of freshman goaltender Brooks Ostergard late in the campaign, allowing more than three goals in a game just once over their final 10 and posting a 5-2-3 record.
The Bigger Picture: Urban was often paired with fellow right-shot Josh Jones last season. He recorded 17 of his 27 points against CHA opponents, so his non-conference production could stand to improve.
Robert Morris coach Derek Schooley on Urban: “He had a very good year last year and is a very dynamic player. He controls the play, skates well, makes a solid first pass and got better as he got more responsibility last season. We need him to repeat that again this season.”
INCH.com begins their A to Z series
August 8, 2009 by Dave Weldon
Filed under Off-season
Inside College Hockey.com has begun their A to Z series, where they highlight a player starting at the letter A and going all the way to Z in college hockey.
Link here: INCH.com A to Z
Last year, RMU was mentioned under Nathan Longpre, read it here
I’ll be keeping my eye out for a Robert Morris mention, I’m calling a close tie between Nathan Longpre and Denny Urban this year, on who get’s the nod in the article.
Stefan Lachapelle leaves RMU; joins the IceRays (CHL)
August 6, 2009 by Dave Weldon
Filed under Off-season
Stefan Lachapelle was rumored to be leaving Robert Morris after his Freshman season, and now that rumor has taken some truth to it, as Lachapelle has joined the Corpus Christi IceRays of the CHL.
Stefan was a Freshman at Robert Morris this past season, he appeared in 32 games, scoring 5 points (2G, 3A). His best season in his amateur career was his final season in Juniors with the Hawksbury Hawks where he scored 100 points and won the Fred Page Cup.
Head Coach Derek Schooley had this to say in regards to Stefan’s decision, “We [Robert Morris] wish Stefan the best of luck as he peruses other opportunities”. There is no word from Stefan himself at this time, on his decision to leave.
According to the Robert Morris Hockey Twitter Page, Stefan had decided to leave Robert Morris in April of this year.
Denny Urban in Beaver County Times
July 28, 2009 by Dave Weldon
Filed under Off-season
By Chris Bradford
Times Sports Staff
PITTSBURGH — In a Penguins locker room adorned with photos of Stanley Cup champions and swarming with high draft picks, Robert Morris University junior Denny Urban didn’t seem the least bit out of place.
Not bad for a kid who grew up in Pittsburgh a Penguins fans.
And certainly not bad for a budding hockey program that has existed for only five years.
Urban and fellow Colonial Nathan Longpre are two of the 27 players participating in this week’s Penguins rookie orientation camp. Urban’s coach at Robert Morris, Derek Schooley, is also serving as an instructor.
“It’s a tremendous honor,” Urban said of his invitation. “It was pretty unexpected.”
A week before the Penguins’ seven-game victory over Detroit, Schooley told Urban that he should keep working hard in the summer in case he would be invited.
Urban, a smallish 5-foot-10 defenseman, certainly has built up some impressive credentials.
He was the Colonials’ defensive player of the year with 27 points (23 assists) in 34 games, while garnering College Hockey America first-team honors last season.
This week’s camp is the perfect platform for the RMU duo to test their mettle against the Penguins’ top prospects like Eric Tangradi, Luca Caputi, Casey Pierro-Zabotel, Brian Strait and Simon Despres.
“I’m just trying to get my name out there and open up some eyes as a free agent,” Urban said. “All of the draft picks, (the Penguins) know what they can do. I’m just trying to show what I can do.”
As is Longpre, a Peterborough, Ontario, native who led the CHA with 29 assists last season.
“The first two guys to ever go to a training camp … It’s really helped put Robert Morris on the map and shown people that Robert Morris has good players,” Urban said.
The Colonials have a pretty good team, too.
Last season the Colonials lost to Alabama-Huntsville in the CHA championship. With this upcoming season being the CHA’s final year — RMU is being absorbed into the more prestigious Atlantic Hockey conference in 2010-11 — Urban would like to see the Colonials make the most of it.
“We’ve never won it,” Urban said.
“Last year we had 21 sophomores that are juniors now. We should have experience and have a good shot.”
Cody Crichton attended the Thrashers Prospect Camp
July 26, 2009 by Dave Weldon
Filed under Off-season
Just has his teammates Denny Urban and Nathan Longpre are attending the Penguins Prospect Camp this year, Sophomore Forward, Cody Crichton spent another summer (he went last year as well) with the Atlanta Thrashers and their prospect camp.
Cody skated with some of the top prospects in the Thrashers camp, such as 2009 Draft Pick, Evander Kane. Cody wore #68 during the camp, scoring a goal on Day 3 of the camp, which lasted from July 10th through the 15th: Thrashers Prospect Camp
Patterson leaves RMU, Russell has Graduated
July 19, 2009 by Dave Weldon
Filed under Off-season
Goaltender Jim Patterson has decided to leave Robert Morris and transfer for next season, his current status of where he will be next year is unknown. Fellow Goaltender Wes Russell has decided to fore-go his Senior season and Graduate from Robert Morris University. Wes was a transfer from Quinnipiac University in 2006, and sat out the 2006-2007 season due to NCAA transfer rules that prohibited him from playing during that season. With one year of eligibility left, Wes decided to move on, as the Colonials will be stacked with Goaltenders this year.
RMU Hockey Equipment Sale
July 6, 2009 by Dave Weldon
Filed under Off-season
The RMU Men’s team is holding their annual equipment sale at the Island Sports Center on these dates:
- Friday – July 10th from 12:00pm until 6:00pm
- Saturday – July 11th from 10:00am until 4:00pm
- Sunday – July 12th from 10:00am until 2:00pm
Schooley to lead Annual Summer Camp
June 29, 2009 by Dave Weldon
Filed under Off-season
RMUColonials.com announced today that RMU Men’s Hockey Head Coach Derek Schooley will lead the 2009 Colonial Hockey Camp at the RMU Island Sports Center, from July 20-24.
[The Camp] aims to provide campers with top notch instruction in all aspects of the game. Players will be broken down into three age groups to learn the basic fundamentals of hockey, while playing in a small game type setting.
Current RMU players will help Coach Schooley assist young campers during their instruction.
Camp highlights include two hours of on-ice instruction per day and a one hour small game session. Additionally, the players will be instructed in special skill development sessions in an atmosphere that stresses good sportsmanship.
If you would wish to sign up for the 2009 Colonial Camp, contact Coach Schooley at (412) 397-447 or his email – schooley@rmu.edu.
