| 1/20/2007 9:37:50 PM
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ROCHESTER, NY – Matt Smith (Toronto, ON/Kitchener Dutchmen) (Toronto, ON) scored two goals and added an assist as RIT grinded out a 4-2 win over Connecticut on Saturday evening at Ritter Arena.
The win improves RIT to 14-8-2 overall and 13-4-1 in the Atlantic Hockey Association. Connecticut falls to 9-15-0 overall and 9-9-0 in the AHA.
RIT scored the only goal in a hard-hitting first period. Brent Patry (Ottawa, ON/Cumberland Grads) (Ottawa, ON) ripped a slap shot from the left point that Jesse Newman (Westbank, BC/Trail Smoke Easters) (Westbank, BC) tipped home for his first goal of the season.
Shots were even in the first period as both teams fired eight shots on goal. Louis Menard (Chicoutimi, PQ/Ottawa Jr. Senators) (Chicoutimi, PQ) stopped all eight shots he faced.
Connecticut tied the score at 1-1 on a power play goal by Cole Koidahl 42 seconds into the second period.
Matt Smith (Toronto, ON/Kitchener Dutchmen) (Toronto, ON) gave RIT a 2-1 lead with his ninth power play goal of the season at 3:05 of the second. Dan Ringwald (Oakville, ON/Oakville Blades) (Oakville, ON) fed a pass from the point down to Steve Pinizzotto (Mississauga, ON/Oakville Blades) (Mississauga, ON) on the wing. He waited for Smith to come open in front of the net and fed him a pass that he one-timed past Erickson for his 13th goal of the season.
Erickson made two spectacular saves on shots from Brad Harris (Winnipeg, MB/Leamington Flyers) (Winnipeg, MB) and Rob Tarantino (Oakville, ON/Oakville Blades) (Oakville, ON) that kept RIT’s lead to one goal. Louis Menard (Chicoutimi, PQ/Ottawa Jr. Senators) made 12 saves for the Tigers.
RIT increased their lead to 3-1 on a power play goal by Simon Lambert (Ste.-Therese, PQ/Cumberland Grads) (Ste.-Therese, PQ) at 2:45 of the third. Smith moved the puck up to Dan Ringwald (Oakville, ON/Oakville Blades) at the point and he ripped a slap shot that ricocheted off of Lambert’s skate in into the net.
Smith made it 4-1 at 8:58 of third with his second goal of the night. Jesse Newman (Westbank, BC/Trail Smoke Easters) centered a puck that Smith re-directed past Erickson.
Late in the third period Louis Menard (Chicoutimi, PQ/Ottawa Jr. Senators) made a spectacular kick save on a shot from Charles Solberg. He finished with 30 saves on the evening.
The Huskies added a late goal to make the final 4-2.
RIT will travel to Springfield, Massachusetts for a pair of games against American International College on Friday and Saturday, January 26 and 27.
