| 10/21/2006 9:42:54 PM
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ROCHESTER, NY – Freshman goaltender Louis Menard (Chicoutimi, PQ/Ottawa Jr. Senators) (Chicoutimi, PQ) earned his first shut out victory in a Tigers uniform and the Tigers exploded for eight goals as RIT blanked American International College 8-0 in front of a packed house at Ritter Arena.
Eight different Tigers scored a goal and the RIT power play converted six times in 10 chances, earning their second straight win over the Yellowjackets.
RIT took control early in the first period, scoring three times. Freshman forward Anton Kharin (Moscow, Russia/Bay State Breakers) (Twin Lake, MI) gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead at 4:53 of the first. Kharin broke into the zone and dropped the puck to Jesse Newman (Westbank, BC/Trail Smoke Easters). Newman’s shot was saved by AIC goalie, Matt Tourville but the rebound came back to Kharin. His first shot was saved but Tourville could not save the second attempt.
Matt Harris (Toronto, ON/Ajax Axemen) (Toronto, ON) made it 2-0 RIT at 11:54 of the period on assists from Steve Pinizzotto (Mississauga, ON/Oakville Blades) (Mississauga, ON) and Brent Patry (Ottawa, ON/Cumberland Grads) (Ottawa, ON). Pinizzotto spotted Harris at the top of the box. He ripped a shot that snuck past Tourville for his first goal of the season.
Darrel Draper (Tigard, OR) made it 3-0 on a power play tally at 16:21 of the first. Patry started the play by feeding Anton Kharin (Moscow, Russia/Bay State Breakers) down low. Darrell Draper (Tigard, OR/Cowichon Capitals) looped around and drove to the net. Kharin spotted a streaking Draper and fed him with a nifty pass. Draper roofed a shot over Tourville’s shoulder.
RIT killed four power plays by the Yellowjackets in the first period. Louis Menard (Chicoutimi, PQ/Ottawa Jr. Senators) made six saves in the first period in his first start on home ice.
The Tigers struck four times in the second period to break the game wide open. The Tigers went 4-for-5 on the power play in the second as they out shot AIC 16-11.
Matt Crowell (Kelowna, BC/Williams Lake Timberwolves) (Kelowna, BC) started the scoring in the second on a fluke goal. On his attempted deke around the defender the puck kept traveling past the defenseman and goalie Tourville, making it 4-0 RIT.
Simon Lambert (Ste.-Therese, PQ/Cumberland Grads)’s (Ste.-Therese, PQ) power play goal at 6:38 made it 5-0 RIT. Patry wristed a shot from the point that Lambert skated onto and tipped past Tourville.
Brad Harris (Winnipeg, MB/Leamington Flyers) (Winnipeg, MB) tallied another power play goal at 8:05. Ricky Walton (Hamilton, ON/Hamilton Red Wings) (Hamilton, ON) took a shot but the rebound came to Harris who had crashed the net and tipped the puck home for his first goal of the season.
Matt Smith (Toronto, ON/Kitchener Dutchmen) (Toronto, ON) rounded out the scoring in the second. Jesse Newman (Westbank, BC/Trail Smoke Easters) won the draw right to Justin Hofstetter (Bright, ON/Cambridge Winterhawks) (Bright, ON). He passed it to Smith who broke in on Tourville and beat him over his right shoulder for a 7-0 RIT lead.
Midway through the third AIC was awarded a penalty shot when Bobby Raymond (Lucknow, ON/Owen Sound Greys) (Lucknow, ON) was whistled for delaying the game.
Jeremy Leroux skated in for AIC and made a couple of moves. RIT goalie Louis Menard (Chicoutimi, PQ/Ottawa Jr. Senators) came out to cut down on the angle and turned away Leroux’s shot rather calmly.
Justin Hofstetter (Bright, ON/Cambridge Winterhawks) completed the scoring for RIT with a power play goal at 15:36 on assists from Rob Tarantino (Oakville, ON/Oakville Blades) (Oakville, ON) and Brennan Sarazin (Nepean, ON/Nepean Raiders) (Nepean, ON).
RIT and AIC each had 31 shots apiece. Menard made 31 saves for the second shut out by a RIT goalie versus a Division I team. George Eliopoulos (Markham, ON/St. Michael's Buzzers) shut out AIC last year in Springfield, Massachusetts.
RIT travels to Canisius College on Friday, October 27 for a 7 pm start.
