| 2/7/2004 11:05:36 PM
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ELMIRA, NY -- The ninth ranked RIT men's hockey team avanged a loss from Friday with a 5-4 win over arch rival Elmira College this evening in Elmira. The win clinches RIT a berth in the upcoming ECAC West playoffs and is the second over the Soaring Eagles this season.
It looked liked Elmira would run away with the game in the opening moments of the period. Andrew Morris gave the Soaring Eagles a 1-0 lead just 58 seconds into the contest. Then, just before the halfway mark of the period Chris Mann gave Elmira a 2-0 lead with his goal at the 12:12 mark.
RIT got back into the game late in the first period. Freshman Tristan Fairbarn (Innisfill, Ont./Newmarket Hurricanes) scored an even strength goal at 16:40 on assists from Jason Chafe (Stoney Creek, Ont./Burlington Cougars) and Adam George (LaFayette, N.Y./Syracuse Stars). That cut Elmira's lead to 2-1. Then, with 1:33 to play in the period senior captain Mike Tarantino (Oakville, Ont./Oakville Blades) got the Tigers even with his power play goal coming from Chafe and Ryan Francke (Long Point, Ont./St. Thomas Stars).
The Tigers carried that momentum over into the second period. Just 1:34 into the period Darren Doherty (Duoro, Ont./Cobourg Cougars) gave RIT their first lead of the night with his goal from Brad Harris (Portage La Prairie, Man./Leamington Flyers). Justin Siebold tied the game for Elmira at 16:40 with his even strength goal, but Brent Macovi (Stoney Creek, Ont./Hamilton Kilty Bees) answered back for the Tigers with his goal on assists from Harris and Doherty at 6:47. Midway through the period Brad Harris (Portage La Prairie, Man./Leamington Flyers) scored what would prove to be the game-winner. He scored on assists from Doherty and Ryan Fairbarn (Innisfil, Ont./Georgetown Raiders) at 10:14, giving RIT a 5-3 lead. Seibold got Elmira back into the game at the end of the period with his goal at 18:46 setting up an exciting third period.
RIT stiffened their defense in the third, allowing George Eliopoulos (Markham, Ont./St. Michaels Buzzers) to see just three shots. RIT fired 10 shots on Elmira's Greg Fargo but he was up to the task, stopping all 10.
Darren Doherty (Duoro, Ont./Cobourg Cougars) and Brad Harris (Portage La Prairie, Man./Leamington Flyers) led RIT each with a goal and two assists apiece. Jason Chafe (Stoney Creek, Ont./Burlington Cougars) added two assists, while George Eliopoulos (Markham, Ont./St. Michaels Buzzers) rebounded from a disappointing game on Friday with 25 big saves on Saturday.
The win improves RIT to 11-5-4 overall and are 5-1-1 in the ECAC West conference. RIT will host Neumann College on Friday, February 13 at 7 p.m. in an ECAC West Conference game.
