Tigers fend off scrappy Colonials in hockey

As it has much of the season, No. 7 Colorado College relied on its potent power play and some timely goaltending to pull out a close win.

On Friday night at World Arena, it was senior captain Mike Testwuide’s power-play goal with 4:40 left that gave the Tigers a 4-3 win over nonconference opponent Robert Morris (3-7-1).

Testwuide poked in a loose puck after Rylan Schwartz’s slap shot wiggled under Colonials goalie Brooks Ostergard’s arm and the puck ended up behind the sophomore netminder.

Testwuide dove for the puck, just beating his defender to it.

“For sure,” Testwuide said of the reliance on the power play. "We were clicking. We had a few shaky power plays there, especially my unit, but in the end we knew we had to get it done, and we did.”

That resolve and a late penalty on the Tigers (8-2-1) set up a frantic final minute as CC missed two empty-net chances while the Colonials went for the tying goal with a 6-on-4 advantage.

It need not have been that exciting for the 4,482 fans on hand.

Senior defenseman Kris Fredheim’s goal midway through the second period had looked to be the difference, but a turnover in the Tigers end set up the opportunistic Colonials.

Chris Kushneriuk took the puck away and fired a centering pass to Scott Kobialko for the tying goal with 5:56 left in the third period.

“That’s what they did all night,” Testwuide said. “They kept waiting to get their chances.”

Fredheim’s goal, his second this season and sixth as a Tiger, was set up by a hard slap shot by senior Brian McMillin that Ostergard was unable to control.

Ostergard was the reason the game was so close. He made 46 saves, including 20 in the first period. But the steady barrage from the Tigers (8-2-1) would generate some rebounds, which led to Fredheim’s goal and the opening goal by sophomore Nick Dineen.

Tigers freshman goalie Joe Howe made his third penalty-shot stop in as many weeks during the first period to keep it 0-0 en route to 29 saves.

CC never trailed as a result, but Robert Morris would not go away.

“We had a lot of shots (season-high 50), but they weren’t that high-quality,” Testwuide said. “We’re going to have to come back hard (tonight) and get some dirty goals and get some higher-quality chances, not just shots from the point.”