| 2/9/2007 9:57:07 PM
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ROCHESTER, NY – Brad Harris (Winnipeg, MB/Leamington Flyers)’ (Winnipeg, MB) goal with 3:19 to play in the third period proved to be the game-winner as RIT came back to defeat Air Force 5-4 on Friday evening at Frank Ritter Memorial Arena.
The Tigers erased a 4-2 deficit in the second period for their 18th win of the season. The Tigers are now 18-9-2 overall and remain in first place in the AHA with 35 points and a 17-5-1 conference record. Air Force drops to 13-13-5 overall and 10-8-5 in the conference.
"I though it was a gritty effort on our part," said RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson. "I'm very happy that we fought back against a very good Air Force squad."
Jesse Newman (Westbank, BC/Trail Smoke Easters) (Westbank, BC) gave RIT a 1-0 lead at 2:30 of the first period on assists from Harris and Ricky Walton (Hamilton, ON/Hamilton Red Wings) (Hamilton, ON).
The Falcons took a 2-1 lead on goals from Eric Ehn and Josh Frider. Ehn tied the score at 13:54 of the first on assists from Jeff Hajner and Andrew Ramsey. Frider’s goal came at 14:27 with assists from Andrew Ramsey and Frank Schiavone.
Al Mazur (Burnaby, BC/Langley Hornets) (Burnaby, BC) tied the score at 2-2 with a power play goal at 17:32 of the first period. Matt Smith (Toronto, ON/Kitchener Dutchmen) (Toronto, ON) fed Simon Lambert (Ste.-Therese, PQ/Cumberland Grads) (Ste.-Therese, PQ) who fed Mazur at the point. He ripped a slap shot past Ben Worker for his fifth goal of the season.
Ehn and Hajner scored two straight goals for Air Force early in the second period to give the Falcons at 4-2.
Bobby Raymond (Lucknow, ON/Owen Sound Greys) (Lucknow, ON) scored at 5:59 of the second period to cut the lead to 4-3. Smith skated the puck into the zone and fed a pass up to Raymond at the point. His wrist shot trickled underneath Worker’s arm and into the back of the net.
Darrell Draper (Tigard, OR/Cowichon Capitals) (Tigard, OR) tied the score at 4-4 early in the third period on an assist from Anton Kharin (Moscow, Russia/Bay State Breakers) (Moscow, Russia). Kharin swept in and stole the puck from an Air Force defenseman. He skated along the boards and behind the net. He flung the puck in the slot that Draper poked past Worker.
Harris scored another hard-fought goal at 16:54 of the third. Newman threw the puck in front that Harris skated onto and poked in for a 5-4 lead.
The Tigers were able to kill off the 6-on-5 by the Falcons to score their 18th lead of the season.
RIT out shot Air Force 27-22. Jocelyn Guimond (Quebec City, PQ/Williams Lake) (Quebec, PQ) got the start in net and allowed four goals on 10 shots. Louis Menard (Chicoutimi, PQ/Ottawa Jr. Senators) (Chicoutimi, PQ) relived Guimond and made 12 saves, holding the Falcons scoreless over the 35:05.
These same two teams will face-off on Saturday night at 7 pm at the Frank Ritter Memorial Arena.
