| 12/8/2006 9:33:57 PM
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ERIE, PA -- Five different Tigers scored goals as the RIT men's hockey team defeated Mercyhurst College, 5-2 in Atlantic Hockey Association action on Friday evening in Erie, Pennsylvania. The win improves RIT to 7-5-2 overall and 7-2-1 in the AHA.
Matt Smith (Toronto, ON/Kitchener Dutchmen) (Toronto, ON) , Anton Kharin (Moscow, Russia/Bay State Breakers) (Moscow, Russia), Justin Hofstetter (Bright, ON/Cambridge Winterhawks) (Bright, ON), Al Mazur (Burnaby, BC/Langley Hornets) (Burnaby, BC) and Steve Pinizzotto (Mississauga, ON/Oakville Blades) (Mississauga, ON) all lit the lamp for RIT as they win their fourth straight game of the season. It's the first four-game winning streak for the Tigers since joining the Division I ranks last season.
"It's nice to have such balanced scoing," said Wilson. "It really helps our team concept to have everyone contributing."
RIT got off to a rocky start, allowing a goal early in the first period but the Tigers bounced back and began showing the same brand of hockey that they displayed last weekend.
"We were a little Lackadaisical in the first half of the first period," stated Head Coach Wayne Wilson. "But, we came back and played better in the second half of the first period and played a solid second period."
Smith's goal at 15:26 of the first tied the score at 1-1 with Brent Patry (Ottawa, ON/Cumberland Grads) (Ottawa, ON) and Stevan Matic (Burnaby, BC/Langley Hornets) (Burnaby, BC) dishing out the assists.
Kharin's goal at 17:41 of the first gave the Tigers their first lead of the evening, one they would not relinquish.
Justin Hofstetter (Bright, ON/Cambridge Winterhawks) scored one of the weirdest goals, scoring from just over the center-ice line, making it 3-1 RIT at 1:29 of the second period.
After Chris Trafford cut RIT's lead to 3-2 on a power play goal Al Mazur (Burnaby, BC/Langley Hornets) gave the Tigers a two-goal lead with his second goal of the season on assists from Ricky Walton (Hamilton, ON/Hamilton Red Wings) (Hamilton, ON) and Patry.
Steve Pinizzotto (Mississauga, ON/Oakville Blades) rounded out the scoring for the Tigers, scoring his eighth goal of the season at 16:21 of the third, giving the Tigers a 5-2 lead.
The Tigers out shot the Lakers 30-28 on Friday. Louis Menard (Chicoutimi, PQ/Ottawa Jr. Senators) (Chicoutimi, PQ) was outstanding in net, making 26 saves and allowing two goals>
RIT went 0-for-2 on the power play and allowed Mercyhurst one power play goal in six chances.
RIT will face the Lakers tomorrow evening at 7 pm in Erie, Pennsylvania.
