| 1/6/2007 9:49:41 PM
Click For BoxscoreROCHESTER, NY – The RIT men’s hockey team fired 41 shots on goal but Niagara goaltender Allen Barton made a career-high 38 saves as #19 Niagara downed RIT 5-3 in front of a sold-out crowd at Ritter Arena. The Tigers gave up their first two short-handed goals of the season and scored one of their own.
“I thought we played really well,” commented RIT Head Coach
Wayne Wilson. “We just lost our poise on the power play, allowing the two short-handed goals.”
RIT trailed by a goal after the first period of play. The Tigers got the first goal on an even strength goal from Justin Hofstetter (Bright, ON/Cambridge Winterhawks) (Bright, ON). He took a pass from Simon Lambert (Ste.-Therese, PQ/Cumberland Grads) (Ste.-Therese, PQ) at the point and ripped a slap shot. His shot deflected off a Niagara defenseman and past Allen Barton for a 1-0 RIT lead.
Niagara tied the score at 1-1 on a goal by Nate Bostic. Scott Langdon took a shot from the point, Bostic slipped in from behind the net and defected the puck past Louis Menard (Chicoutimi, PQ/Ottawa Jr. Senators) (Chicoutimi, PQ).
Matt Caruana gave the Purple Eagles a 2-1 lead late in the first period with a short-handed goal at 18:25.
RIT outshot Niagara 13-8 in the first period as Louis Menard (Chicoutimi, PQ/Ottawa Jr. Senators) stopped six shots.
RIT tied the score at 2-2 just 42 seconds into the second period. Steve Pinizzotto (Mississauga, ON/Oakville Blades) (Mississauga, ON) skated into the zone and ripped a slap shot over Barton’s shoulder for his ninth tally of the season.
Egor Mironov gave the Purple Eagles a 3-2 lead with his fourth goal of the season on assists from Tyler Gotto and Matt Caruana.
RIT had the better scoring chances in the second period, firing 17 shots on net but Barton came up with 16 saves. Louis Menard (Chicoutimi, PQ/Ottawa Jr. Senators) was equally stout, stopping 10 shots in the second.
Niagara took a two-goal lead just 20 seconds into the third period on a short-handed goal by Sean Bentivoglio.
Ricky Walton (Hamilton, ON/Hamilton Red Wings)’s (Hamilton, ON) short-handed goal at 3:52 of the third cut the Purple Eagle’s lead to one goal on an assist from Brad Harris (Winnipeg, MB/Leamington Flyers) (Winnipeg, MB).
RIT fired 11 shots on goal in the third period but Barton was on top of his game, making 10 saves.
Niagara put the game out of reach with five seconds to play on an empty-net goal from Bentivoglio.
RIT out shot the Purple Eagles 41-26. The Tigers went 0-for-3 with the power play and allowed one power play goal.
RIT will host Atalantic Hockey Association foe, Canisisus College on Tuesday evening at Ritter Arena. Face-off is at 7 pm.
