| 1/4/2008 7:32:06 PM

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WORCESTER, MA -- The RIT (8-7-3, 6-4-3 AHA) men's hockey team scored three goals in a little over a minutes time in the second period, going on to a 5-2 win over Holy Cross (5-5-6, 4-4-3 AHA) in Atlantic Hockey Association action on Friday evening. The win by RIT snapped a six-game unbeaten streak by Holy Cross and was the Tigers third win in its last four games.

Sophomore goaltender Jared DeMichiel (Avon, CT/Chicago Steel) (Avon, CT) picked up his first collegiate win, making 28 saves.

The Tigers tallied three goals in 1:07 midway through the second period to break open a scoreless game.

Simon Lambert (Ste.-Therese, PQ/Cumberland Grads) (Ste.-Therese, PQ) gave RIT a 1-0 lead with 10:09 remaining in the second. Al Mazur (Burnaby, BC/Merritt Centennials) (Burnaby, BC) flicked a puck towards the net from the point that Lambert batted out of mid-air and re-directed into the net for his ninth goal of the season.

A little less than a minute later Matt Crowell (Kelowna, BC/Williams Lake Timberwolves) (Kelowna, BC) tallied his eighth goal of the season on assists from Lambert and Mazur giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead.

Matt Smith (Toronto, ON/Kitchener Dutchmen) (Toronto, ON) made it 3-0 with team-best 11th goal at the 9:03 mark of the second. Bobby Raymond (Lucknow, ON/Owen Sound Greys) (Lucknow, ON) saw Smith flying down the left wing and fed him a pass. Smith had only to re-direct the puck into the open net. 

The Tigers played hard right from the opening face-off, generating good scoring chances with a strong fore-check and a hard brand of physical hockey.

RIT's had a really good chance with 2:01 to play in the first period. Mike Janda (Glen Ellyn, IL/Chicago Steel) (Winfield, IL) grabbed the puck in the corner and skated towards the front of the net. He spotted a streaking Al Mazur (Burnaby, BC/Merritt Centennials) (Burnaby, BC) and hit him with a pass. Mazur's one-timer sailed over the cross bar and out of harms way.

With a minute remaining in the first the Tigers broke out of their own zone 3-on-2. Ricky Walton (Hamilton, ON/Hamilton Red Wings) (Hamilton, ON) broke into the zone and fed a saucer pass over to Bobby Raymond (Lucknow, ON/Owen Sound Greys) (Lucknow, ON). He swung at the puck in mid-air and fired a shot that just missed the net.

The Crusabers came out in the third period determined to get back in the game. The Tigers were able to answer Holy Cross with a goal to quash the Crusaders rally. 

After a Crusaders goal with 13:31 to play in the third period made it 3-1 RIT's Brennan Sarazin (Nepean, ON/Nepean Raiders) (Nepean, ON) made it 4-1 with his first goal of the season. Brent Alexin (West Seneca, NY/Buffalo Jr. Sabres) (West Seneca, NY) and Stevan Matic (Burnaby, BC/Langley Hornets) (Burnaby, BC) had the assists on the play.

Holy Cross' Jim Tselikis scored an unassisted, power play goal with 6:13 to play in the third to cut RIT's lead to 4-2.

Tyler Mazzei (Kelowna, BC/Nanaimo Clippers) (Kelowna, BC) put the game away for RIT scoring off a rebound on a shot from Andrew Favot (King City, ON/Aurora Tigers) (King City, ON) at 14:05 of the third. 

The Tigers held a slight edge in shots 32-30. RIT held the nation's second-ranked power play to just one goal in four attempts.

RIT will face Holy Cross again tomorrow evening at 7 pm at the Hart Center on the campus of Holy Cross.