By Tim Schmitt
LEWISTON — While some see next year’s move to Atlantic Hockey by Robert Morris and Niagara as a regression, Colonials’ coach Derek Schooley is anything but a detractor. In fact, Schooley said after his team’s 1-0 semifinal loss to Alabama-Huntsville that he welcomes a change of scenery from the stale four-team College Hockey America that will see its final day of action today at Dwyer Arena.
RMU will meet Bemidji State in the 3 p.m. consolation game while the championship game will pit UAH and host Niagara at 7 p.m. on a game that’s being broadcast nationally on CBS College Sports.
Schooley pointed out that Friday’s game was the seventh meeting between Robert Morris and Huntsville due to the league’s 18-game regular season schedule.
“That’s unhealthy,” Schooley said. “It helps Niagara and Robert Morris going into a very good hockey league to be able to play numerous teams. Who wants to see Robert Morris play Niagara seven times, or four times here? That’s the difference.
“Our guys are sick of seeing the same teams.”
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While his teammates were out fighting for their season, senior captain Ryan Annesley was standing at the top of the Dwyer Arena concourse on Friday with his shoulder in a sling.
Annesley, a first-team All-CHA selection in 2007-08, had surgery before last season on his ailing shoulder, then returned for six games before taking a hit against RIT on Dec. 12. He recently had a second surgery last week and was told he should be on schedule to play next year if granted a medical redshirt.
Sitting out Friday’s huge 5-4 victory over Bemidji State was a tough one to stomach.
“It’s been painful to watch,” Annesley said after the second period. “I wish I could be out there with them.”
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Despite a massive advertising campaign, Friday’s semifinal against nationally ranked Bemidji wasn’t close to a sellout. The general admission seats sold well at Dwyer Arena, but the chairback seating in the middle sections were about half-filled. Still, the upset brought a raucous atmosphere.
A crowd of just under 400 was in attendance for the first game, an appropriate turnout for a matinee in a game not involving the local school.
A representative for the university said plenty of seats are available for tonight’s CHA Championship game.
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Chris Peluso picked a big moment to score his second career goal and first of the season for Bemidji State in the nightcap. Peluso’s picture-perfect wrist shot in the first period answered an early goal by Niagara after just 43 seconds.
For Peluso, the nephew of former NHLer Mike Peluso, the goal was his first since Nov. 10, 2007 against Alabama-Huntsville.
Contact sports editor Tim Schmitt at 282-2311, ext. 2266.
