(Newark, Del.)- Despite a valiant effort against one of the top teams in the country, the SUNY Canton men's ice hockey team suffered a 3-0 loss to third-ranked Ohio University in the opening round of the ACHA Division I national tournament at Fred Rust Arena in Newark, Del.

The Roos, ranked 19th in the country and the No. 14 seed in the tournament, moved to 26-9 overall and will play in a consolation game on Sunday.  That opponent will be determined after the remaining opening round games today.  

SUNY Canton earned a berth in this year's national tournament after winning the regular season Eastern Collegiate Hockey League championship for the second straight year.  Saturday's loss was just the second for the Roos in their last seven games, who had been on a tear entering the weekend having won four straight, two coming during their ECHL tournament championship run in Rochester last weekend.

Senior Jimmy Merrow (Plainsboro, N.Y.), an all-ECHL First Team selection, had another stellar outing between the pipes in the national tournament as he stopped 48 of 51 shots against the Bobcats, who entered the tournament averaging 5.4 goals per game.  Merrow turned aside 51 shots in last year's opening round game against Penn State.

The Roos, who surrendered a goal in each period, had several terrific chances to get on the board with the man advantage as Ohio was whistled for nine penalties.  The Roos have converted 23.5 percent of their power play chances this season but were denied on Saturday by a strong Bobcats defense.  The Roos had one five-on-three advantage in the second period and one more in the third, but couldn't solve Bobcats' goalie Blake MacNicol, who recorded his nation-leading fifth shutout of the season.

Jonathan Pietramala ,Jake Holzmer and Nick Restek each scored for Ohio, who improved to 29-6.