Robert Morris isn't coming to Grand Forks looking for its first landmark win in its brief, seven-year history as a men's hockey program.
That already happened.
Three years ago, the Colonials went on the road and stunned a No. 2-ranked Notre Dame team that later earned a No. 1 seed at the NCAA tournament. The next year, Robert Morris opened up the season with a victory over powerhouse Boston University.
And a year ago, the Colonials shocked the college hockey world by sweeping a No. 1-ranked Miami team that went on to play in the Frozen Four.
This weekend, the destination is Grand Forks. The Colonials will be bringing their best team ever, looking to introduce themselves to what will likely be the largest crowd ever to watch Robert Morris play hockey.
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"Hopefully, we'll show fans of North Dakota that Atlantic Hockey does have good teams," Robert Morris coach Derek Schooley said of his conference.
The Colonials are one of them.
At 12-5-2 overall, they have already surpassed their win total from each of the last two seasons (10). They only need three more wins to tie the program record.
With five seniors and 11 juniors, the Colonials have looked to their upperclassmen, who have been part of their big victories. Eleven of the team's top 12 scorers are upperclassmen, as is starting goalie Brooks Ostergard.
Nathan Longpre, a senior forward, is on pace to become the Colonials' all-time leading scorer. He has 123 career points.
Defenseman Denny Urban, another senior, is three points shy of reaching 100 for his career. UND's Chay Genoway is the only defenseman in the country with more career points than Urban, the nation's leading blue liner in points per game.
"Denny is a puck-moving, offensive defenseman who has improved his defense over his four-year college career," Schooley said. "He's not the biggest guy in the world, but he competes hard and really likes to join the offense. He's a big reason for our success.
"He's very similar in stature to (Genoway). They aren't the biggest guys in the world, but they both bring very similar elements. It will be interesting to see how they match up."
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Schooley said he and UND coach Dave Hakstol have known each other for many years and have been talking about playing this series for a while.
The series happens to come at a time when Robert Morris is peaking with a 5-1-1 mark in the last seven games.
"They are full value for their record thus far and they are going to be a tough opponent for us," Hakstol said. "Derek has done a good job building his team and has a real method to what he's doing. They are one of those younger programs, but that doesn't change the fact that they have real good personnel and they are a real good hockey team."
Robert Morris is in its first year as a member of Atlantic Hockey. It previously was in the now-defunct College Hockey America with Bemidji State.
The Colonials currently are in second place, only behind 2010 Frozen Four participant RIT.
Schooley said he hopes that his veteran team can build toward the end of the season and earn an NCAA tournament bid for the first time in program history.
"We have a lot of nice pieces to the puzzle," he said. "Hopefully it will lead us toward getting better as the Atlantic Hockey season goes."
Reach Schlossman at (701) 780-1129; (800) 477-6572, ext. 129; or send e-mail to bschlossman@gfherald.com .
