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NORTHFORD, CT -- Division I hockey at RIT officially began on Friday against Quinnipiac University at the 10th annual Q Cup. The Tigers fell to the Bobcats, 6-2 in front of a packed house at the Northford Ice Pavillion.

The difference was the four power play goals scored by the Bobcats. RIT went 1-for-11 with the man advantage.

"I thought we competed pretty well," said RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson. "We just got beat on the one-on-one battles."

 

Early in the first period RIT found themselves down two skaters. Quinnipiac took advantage of the power play on a Reid Cashman's goal at 6:47. Cashman, a Hobey Baker Award finalist last year, took a pass from Matt Sorteberg and wristed a shot from the point past RIT goalie George Eliopoulos (Markham, ON/St. Michael's Buzzers) (Markham, ON).

The Bobcats made it 2-0 at the 8:30 mark of the first on an even strength goal by John Kelly. He scored off a rebound in front of Eliopoulos' net.

Darren Doherty (Douro, ON/Cobourg Cougars) (Douro, ON) and Marc Hyman (Thornhill, ON) both had good looks at goal but Quinnipiac goalie Bud Fisher came up with some big saves, keeping RIT off the scoreboard.

Quinnipiac took a 3-0 lead at 8:23 of the second period on the power play. Jamie Bates scored from close in with assists going to Sorteberg and Cashman.

RIT's first Division I goal came at 9:41 of the second period. In a four-on-four situation, Freshman Brennan Sarazin (Nepean, ON/Nepean) (Nepean, ON) poked home a rebound off a shot from Bobby Raymond (Lucknow, ON/Owen Sound Greys) (Lucknow, ON) to cut Quinnipiac's lead to 3-1. Raymond took a shot from the point that rebounded off of Fisher. Sarazin, who was driving hard to the net, poked home the rebound.

After another Bobcats goal made 4-1 before Brad Harris (Winnipeg, MB/Leamington Flyers) (Winnipeg, MB) tipped home a slap shot from Brent Patry (Ottawa, ON/Cumberland Grads) (Ottawa, ON) on the power play at 16:51 of the second. Patry took a pass from Darren Doherty (Douro, ON/Cobourg Cougars) at the point and fired a slap shot that Harris tipped past Fisher's shoulder, cutting Quinnipiac's lead to 4-2.

The Bobcats got the only two goals of the third period. The first came at 6:22 on the power play. Ben Nelson got the goal on assists from Mark Van Vliet and Chris Myers.

Quinnipiac's sixth goal came at 17:56. David Marshall picked off a pass at center ice and drove in alone. He wrested a shot over George Eliopoulos (Markham, ON/St. Michael's Buzzers)' head, making it 6-2.

RIT will face the Air Force Academy on Saturday at 4 p.m. in Northford, Connectiut in the consolation game of the Q Cup.

"We've got to come out ready to play tomorrow," said Wilson. "Air Force is a strong club and we have to come out ready to play."