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WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA – The RIT men's hockey team (5-6-3, 4-4-3, Atlantic Hockey) had its five-game unbeaten streak snapped by American International College (4-8-2, 4-6-1 Atlantic Hockey) 4-1 at the Olympia Ice Arena on Friday evening.

It was the first win for the Yellow Jackets over RIT in 10 meetings.

 

Matt Crowell (Kelowna, BC/Williams Lake Timberwolves) (Kelowna, BC) scored RIT's lone goal while on the power-play midway through the third period, cutting AIC's lead to 3-1. Simon Lambert (Ste.-Therese, PQ/Cumberland Grads) (Ste. Therese, PQ) fed Matt Smith (Toronto, ON/Kitchener Dutchmen) (Toronto, ON) at the point. Smith's shot was blocked and the rebound went right to Crowell, who slammed the puck in the open net for his sixth goal of the season.

 

AIC out-shot RIT 27-26 for the game, although RIT held a 15-9 advantage in the final stanza.

 

RIT was 1-for-6 with the man-advantage, while AIC was 1-for-5.

 

The Yellowjackets led 2-0 heading into the third period and went up three goals just 39 seconds into the final stanza, as Mark Pavil took a weird bounce off the boards and ripped a shot past Tiger netminder Louie Menard (Chicoutimi, PQ).

 

Freshman Sean Murphy (Rochester, MN/Green Bay Gamblers) (Owatonna, MN) nearly tallied for the Tigers right after, but his shot from the slot rang off the right goal post.

 

AIC put the game away with 3:36 left, as Steve McLeod converted on a perfect pass from Jereme Tendler on a 2-on-1.

 

Menard stopped 23 shots. Dan Ramirez made 25 saves for the Yellow Jackets.

RIT opened the game having to kill a two-man AIC power-play for 1:39. The Tigers successfully killed off the penalties.

 

The Tigers had their best chance of the period about eight minutes in, as Matt Smith (Toronto, ON/Kitchener Dutchmen) (Toronto, ON) fed a perfect saucer pass to the front of the net to Stevan Matic (Burnaby, BC/Langley Hornets) (Burnaby, BC). Matic's one-timer was stopped by a sliding Ramirez.

 

Jesse Newman (Kelowna, BC/Trail Smokeeaters) (Westbank, BC) had a point-blank attempt later in the period, but was thwarted by Ramirez.

 

The Yellow Jackets jumped on the board first, as Tendler completed a great, three-way passing play, while on the power-play. Chad Richardson fed Mike McMillan at the point. McMillan fired a one-touch pass to Tendler at the side of the net. Tendler slapped it upstairs past Menard, who had no chance on the goal.

 

AIC out-shot RIT 12-6 over the first 20 minutes of play.

 

The Yellowjackets went up 2-0 just 2:31 into the second period on a fluky goal, as Mark Pavil's slap shot from the left boards deflected off Chad Richardson in the slot and bounced 10 feet in the air, flopping over Menard's shoulder. Menard never saw the shot after the deflection.

 

Brennan Sarazin (Nepean, ON/Nepean Raiders) (Nepean, ON) had a great chance in the final moments of the period, as he redirected a slap-shot from the point from point blank range, but Ramirez made the stop.

 

RIT's offense was non-existent through the first 40 minutes, with just 11 shots on goal.

 

The Tigers have yet to climb over .500 this season.

 

RIT leads all-time series between the two teams, 8-1-1.

 

Last season, RIT won all four meetings between the two schools, out-scoring AIC 25-7. The Tigers won 8-3 and 8-0 in Rochester in October, then traveled to Springfield and picked up 6-2 and 3-2 wins in late January.

 

The Tigers and Yellow Jackets are right back in action on Saturday at 7:05 p.m.