| 12/1/2006 9:33:35 PM
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ROCHESTER, NY -- Anton Kharin (Moscow, Russia/Bay State Breakers)’s (Moscow, Russia) tip-in goal late at 16:43 of the third period proved to be the game winner as RIT defeated Holy Cross on Friday night in Atlantic Hockey action. The win improves RIT to 5-5-2 overall and 5-2-1 in the AHA, while Holy Cross, who made it to the final eight in last year’s NCAA Division I tournament, 7-7-1 overall and 6-2-1 in the AHA.
RIT shut down Holy Cross’s power play, which was ranked #1 in the country in power play efficiency coming into tonight. The Tigers held the Crusaders to one goal in 10 chances.
“I thought our special teams were good tonight,” stated RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson. “We did a good job shutting their power play down.”
The lone first-period goal came at 12:03 from Steve Pinizzotto (Mississauga, ON/Oakville Blades) (Mississauga, ON) with RIT on a power play. Pinizzotto and Dan Ringwald (Oakville, ON/Oakville Blades) (Oakville, ON) moved the back and forth to one another before Pinizzotto snapped off a wrist shot that beat Ian Dams on the short side for his sixth goal of the season. Simon Lambert (Ste.-Therese, PQ/Cumberland Grads) (Ste.-Therese, PQ) had the other assist on the play.
RIT’s penalty killing was outstanding in the first period as they killed not one but two, two-man power plays in the first period. Jocelyn Guimond (Quebec City, PQ/Williams Lake) (Quebec City, PQ) stopped five shots in the first period for RIT.
Holy Cross tallied the lone goal of the second period at 5:40 on the power play. James Sixsmith dug the puck out of the corner and deked his way around a RIT defender and jammed the puck past Jocelyn Guimond (Quebec City, PQ/Williams Lake) for his sixth goal of the season.
RIT went 0-for-4 on the power play in the second period, while the Crusaders, who came in ranked first in Division I, went 1-for-5 with the man advantage.
Kharin’s goal came off a botched clear by the Crusaders. Jon Landry tried to clear the puck late in a RIT power play, but the puck deflected off of a teammates skate and remained in the zone. Brent Patry (Ottawa, ON/Cumberland Grads) (Ottawa, ON) ran down the loose puck and centered it. Kharin skated toward the net and one-timed the puck past Dams for his sixth goal of the season.
James Sixsmith had one of many chances for Holy Cross late in the contest that Jocelyn Guimond (Quebec City, PQ/Williams Lake) turned calmly aside. Sixsmith re-directed on a shot from the point right on Guimond who saved it and held the puck.
Guimond finished with 20 saves, allowing just one goal. RIT out shot Holy Cross 31-21 and went 2-for-9 on the power play.
These two teams will face each other on Saturday evening at 7 pm.
