Men's Hockey | 10/11/2008 10:57:47 PM
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KALAMAZOO, MI – Tyler Brenner (Linwood, Ontario/Elmira Sugar Kings) (Linwood, Ontario) scored his first collegiate goal 4:37 into the third period broke a 1-1 tie and lifted the RIT men's hockey team (1-1-0) to its first victory of the 2008-09 season, 2-1 over Western Michigan University at Lawson Arena on Saturday evening. RIT goaltender Jared DeMichiel (Avon, Conn./Chicago Steel) (Avon, CT) stopped 33 shots in the win.
DeMichiel, making his first start of the season, was brilliant, making several key saves throughout and playing very poised. He was named the game's second star.
Brenner tallied the game-winner on the power-play, when he picked up a loose puck in the slot, deked a defenseman and calmly slid a forehand shot through the legs of Western Michigan goaltender Jerry Kuhn. Brenner was named the first star of the game.
Kuhn was solid in defeat for the Broncos (1-1-0), stopping 28 shots.
It was a very entertaining contest, with both teams playing an up-tempo style, leading to great chances by each squad. Western Michigan out-shot RIT, 34-30.
RIT went 1-for-9 on the power-play, while Western Michigan was 0-for-7. RIT had to kill off a Western Michigan power-play late in regulation and played the final minute in its own zone, while the Broncos had Kuhn pulled for the extra skater.
RIT Head Coach
Wayne Wilson was very happy with his team's effort and the great play of DeMichiel.
”We are happy with the split, coming out West for our opening weekend,” said Wilson. “I thought we did a much better job competing tonight. Jared (DeMichiel) came up with three or four huge saves and was steady on everything else. I thought we would play better tonight and we had a lot of positives. Several guys, including Taylor McReynolds (Sherwood Park, Alberta/Green Bay Gamblers), #Brent Alexin (West Seneca, N.Y./Buffalo Jr. Sabres)# and Brennan Sarazin (Nepean, Ontario/Nepean Raiders) were great on the penalty kill.”
This was very similar to how the Tigers fared in the second of back-to-back games last season, as they were 10-2-3 on the second night and 13-3-4 on Saturdays.
RIT played a tremendous first period, with its speed creating plenty of chances through the neutral zone and forced Western Michigan to take four minors. The Tigers out-shot the Broncos 12-7, but could not get on the board, and trailed 1-0.
Ian Slater scored the lone goal of the frame, while standing to the left of the Tiger net, he deftly tipped in a point shot from Jordan Collins past DeMichiel. RIT had a few chances, but could not get the puck out of their zone before the goal.
DeMichiel made a phenomenal save on Cam Wilson late in the period, while the Tigers were on a power-play, as he slid across on a 2-on-1 and robbed Wilson with a magnificent glove save.
RIT's best chance came later in the period, when
Mike Janda (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Chicago Steel) (Glyn Ellen, IL) came in on a partial breakaway, but was poke-checked in the slot at the last second. Janda eventually had to leave the game with an injury.
The Tigers finally broke through with 6:17 left in the second period, as Brennan Sarazin (Nepean, Ontario/Nepean Raiders) (Nepean, Ontario) buried his own rebound from right in front of the net past Kuhn to tie the game at 1.
RIT had just finished a power-play chance and kept intense pressure in the Broncos zone. The Tigers cycled the puck along the right-side boards, with Scott Knowles (Riverside, Ontario/Surrey Eagles) (Riverside, Ontario) feeding Anton Kharin (Twin Lake, Mich./Bay State Breakers) (Moscow, Russia) in the corner. Kharin found Sarazin, whose initial shot was blocked but the carom stayed on his stick and the RIT co-captain found the back of the net for his first goal of the year. It was Sarazin's 50th career point at RIT.
The assist was the first of Knowles' career.
Both goaltenders were tremendous in the period, as both teams opened up their offensive games. DeMichiel made a trio of fantastic stops on odd-man rushes, while Kuhn made a couple of big stops on Tiger opportunities in close.
Tiger first-year defensemen #Riley Clark (Saskatoon, Sasakatchewan/Melfort Mustangs)# (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) and #Daniel Spivak (Thornhill, Ontario/Stouffville Spirit)# (Thornhill, Ontario) made their collegiate debuts tonight.
RIT and Western Michigan had faced each other just one time previous to tonight, on Dec. 27, 1985 in the Syracuse Invitational with the Tigers pulling out a 4-3 win.
Last night, the Tigers opened the season by falling to Bowling Green, 4-2. #Louis Menard (Chicoutimi, Quebec/Ottawa Senators)# (Chicoutimi, Quebec) made 28 saves, while Ringwald and Raymond scored for the Tigers.
The Tigers are back in action on Friday, as they host #13 Clarkson University in the home opener. The puck drops at 7:05 p.m. The following night, the Tigers host St. Lawrence University at Blue Cross Arena in downtown Rochester at 7:05 p.m.
