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SPRINGFIELD, MA – The RIT men’s hockey team (16-8-2, 15-4-1 Atlantic Hockey) jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first period and hung on to defeat host American International College 3-2 in Atlantic Hockey Association action on Saturday afternoon at the Olympia Ice Center.

 

The Tigers held off a furious AIC rush in the final period, as the Yellow Jackets out-shot RIT 14-8 over the final 20 minutes and had a few great chances to tie the score.

 

Louie Menard (Chicoutimi, PQ) was stout in the net for RIT, as he won his eighth straight Atlantic Hockey contest, stopping 31 shots.  He is now 8-0 in conference play and 8-3 overall this season.

 

RIT has now won three straight games for the fourth time this season.  The 31 Atlantic Hockey points are five ahead of Army and Sacred Heart, who are in action later this evening.

 

The Tigers dominated the first period, right from the opening shift.  The line of Tristan Fairbarn (Innisfill, ON/Newmarket Hurricanes) (Innisfill, ON), Ricky Walton (Hamilton, ON/Hamilton Red Wings) (Hamilton, ON) and Brad Harris (Winnipeg, MB/Leamington Flyers) (Winnipeg, MB) kept play in the Yellow Jackets zone, generating a handful of chances.  The line was able to change while keeping possession in the Yellow Jacket zone.  Simon Lambert (Ste.-Therese, PQ/Cumberland Grads) (Ste. Therese, PQ) got the puck down low and was able to find Darrell Draper (Tigard, OR/Cowichon Capitals) (Tigard, OR) wide open in front of the net and Draper was able to beat Greg Fenton for his second goal in as many games and give the Tigers a 1-0 lead just 1:14 in.

 

Anton Kharin (Moscow, Russia/Bay State Breakers) (Moscow, Russia), who also drew an assist on Draper’s goal, tallied his 10^th of the year a little over three minutes later as he stole a clearing pass in the high slot, walked in a ripped a shot over Fenton’s shoulder, off the crossbar and in to make it 2-0.

 

Brennan Sarazin (Nepean, ON/Nepean Raiders) (Nepean, ON) upped the RIT lead to three goals late in the frame, as he intercepted a pass at the AIC blue-line, cut to the outside and snapped a shot past Fenton on the stick side.

 

RIT got themselves into penalty problems in the second period, taking five straight minors and having to start the stanza by killing off 1:15 of an AIC two-man advantage, which they did successfully.

 

The Yellow Jackets cut the Tiger lead to 3-1 at the 5:08 mark of the period as a poer-play was about to expire.  Jeason Lecours took the puck in on a 2-on-1 and wristed a shot over Menard’s shoulder to put AIC on the board.

 

Jereme Tendler got the Yellow Jackets to within one early in the third, shorthanded, as he stole the puck from a Tiger defenseman at the line and raced in on Menard.  Tendler’s shot beat Menard to the stick side.

 

The Yellow Jackets out-shot RIT 33-30.  RIT was 0-for-3 on the power-play and killed off 6-of-7 AIC attempts with the man advantage.

 

RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson said his team's strong start was the difference.

 

"I thought we came out and controlled the first period," said Wilson.  "We ran into penalty problems and they used that to get back into the game.  To come away with two wins on the road is something we needed to do."

AIC is now 4-19-0 on the year and 4-16-0 in AHA play.

 

Draper and Kharin each had a goal and assist for the Tigers.  Fenton stopped 27 shots for the Yellow Jackets.

 

RIT is now 6-0-1 all-time against the Yellow Jackets and have won all four meetings against AIC this season by a combined score of 22-5.  The Tigers have been excellent on the second day of back-to-back series games, improving to 8-0-1 in that department.

 

The Tigers are back on home ice Friday evening, as they host Atlantic Hockey rival Canisius at 7 p.m.