Men's Hockey | 10/24/2009 12:34:56 AM

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COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – The RIT (0-4-0, 0-1-1 AHA) men's hockey team dropped a hard-fought battle with AHA rival Air Force (1-4-0, 1-0-0 AHA), 5-4. The Falcons scored the game-winner with 1:45 to play in regulation. The Tigers came into Friday's contest 10-10-2 all-time versus Air Force, splitting the season series in 2008-09, 2-2-0.

The Tigers dominated play throughout most of the first period, out-shooting the Falcons 18-8. The Tigers had a two-man advantage midway through the period, firing seven shots on net, but were stymied by Air Force goaltender, Andrew Volkening.

RIT took a 1-0 lead late in the third period on a goal from Sean Murphy (Owatonna, MN/). With the face-off deep in the Air Force zone, Cameron Burt (Detroit, MI/) won a the battle in the corner and got the puck to Dan RIngwald (Oakville, Ontario/) at the point. Ringwald fired a slap shot that Volkening saved. The rebound came right to Murphy in front of the net, as he made a nice fake and fired the puck over a sprawled Volkening for his first tally of the season.

Air Force stormed back in the second period, scoring two goals in less than three minutes, en route to a 3-1 lead. Danny Durham tied the score at 1-1 with his first collegiate goal just 2:39 into the second. Matt Fairchild gave the Falcons their first lead of the game with his second tally of the season at 5:26. Brad Sellers gave Air Force a two goal lead at 13:12, with his first goal of the season.

Mike Janda (Glen Ellyn, IL/) pulled the Tigers to within a goal on his first tally of the season at 15:53 of the period. Trevor Eckenswiller (Lions Head, Ontario/) started the play with a slap shot from the point. Mark Cornacchia (Unionville, Ontario/) re-directed the puck as he streaked by the net that Janda jammed home.

Stephen Carew scored a short-handed goal at 17:53 giving the Falcons a 4-2 lead.

On that same RIT power play, Chris Haltigin (Oakville, Ontario/) fired a slap shot from the point that handcuffed Volkening and just got under his glove, cutting the lead to 4-3. Chris Tanev (Toronto, Ontario/) and Tyler Mazzei (Kelowna, British Columbia/) had the assists on the play.

RIT tied the game at 2:35 of the third period on a short-handed goal by Andrew Favot (King City, Ontario/). He raced into the Air Force zone and fired a wrist shot that beat Volkening clean, tying the score at 4-4.  It was Favot's first goal of the season.

Late in the third period, the Tigers got caught in their own zone on an extra long shift. The Falcons kept the pressure up, keeping RIT from making a change, and getting fresh skaters. Tim Kirby got the puck on the side of the net. Jared DeMichiel (Avon, CT/) got his pad down for the initial save but Kirby stuffed home the second shot for the game winning goal.

RIT out shot Air Force, 41-38 on the game, the first time the Tigers have had 40 or more shots in Air Force. RIT went 1-for-4 on the power play, while Air Force went 1-for-3.

Jared DeMichiel (Avon, CT/) took the loss, making 33 saves. Andrew Volkening won it for the Falcons, making 37 stops.

These same two teams will play again on Saturday, October 24 at 9:05 pm in Colorado Springs, Colorado.