Men's Hockey | 11/26/2010 9:52:30 PM

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ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT men's hockey team (5-6-1, 4-2-0 AHA) exploded a for team-record tying five goals in the first period en route to a 6-1 win over Sacred Heart (1-9-3, 1-5-3 AHA) in front of 1,759 fans at Ritter Arena on Friday evening.

Tyler Brenner (Linwood, Ontario/) scored two goals to lead the way for RIT. Andrew Favot (King City, Ontario/) tallied three assists, while Cameron Burt (Detroit, MI/), who missed the last four games due to injury, dished out a pair of assists. Adam Hartley (West Vancouver, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) and Mark Cornacchia (Unionville, Ontario/) recorded a goal and an assist apiece. Sean Murphy (Owatonna, MN/) and Jeff Smith (Spokane, WA/Tri-City Storm) also scored for RIT, who improved to 5-2 over its last seven games.

The RIT special teams were excellent, scoring a pair of power-play goals, while tallying its first shorthanded goal of the season. The RIT penalty-killing unit killed off all seven Sacred Heart power-play attempts.

The Tigers fired a season-high 48 shots in the victory, out-shooting the Pioneers, 48-23. RIT goaltender Shane Madolora (Salinas, CA/) stopped 22 shots to improve to 3-0-1 on the season. He is 3-0-0 in AHA play this season.

Sacred Heart goaltender Steven Legatto took the loss, stopping 12 shots before being pulled late in the first period after RIT's fourth goal. Olivier St. Onge replaced Legatto and stopped 30-of-32 shots.

The Tigers are now 4-0 at home this season, out-scoring opponents 20-7 this season. They have won 10 straight games at Ritter Arena dating back to last season.

RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson was very happy with his team's effort tonight.

“We're taking care of business on home ice and that's a very good thing,” said Wilson. “That was one of our better first periods, not because of the goals so much, but with the constant pressure and great forecheck that created offense. We have to build off a strong penalty-killing night."

The Tigers scored twice 17 seconds apart to take a 2-0 lead before the game was six minutes old.
Murphy scored his first goal of the season at the 5:23 mark of the period, taking a feed from Hartley just inside the blueline, cutting to the middle, and firing a low wrist shot against the grain and past Legatto just inside the right post.

Just 17 seconds later, Smith tallied his second goal of the year, as a shot by Mike Janda (Glen Ellyn, IL/) was stopped by Legatto, but the rebound bounced off the leg of Smith, who was crashing the net with the puck deflecting off his leg and in. Mark Cornacchia (Unionville, Ontario/) also assisted on the goal.

Hartley gave the Tigers a 3-0 lead on the power-play, taking a tremendous diagonal pass from Burt and blasting a one-timer in from the left face-off circle into an open goal for his sixth goal of the season. Favot also assisted on the tally.

Brenner scored his first of two consecutive goals with 4:20 left in the opening period, streaking into the Pioneers zone, slipping past a pair of defensemen, and sliding a nifty shot between the pads of Legatto for his eighth goal of the year. Favot and Ben Lynch (Blaine, MN/Lincoln Stars) also assisted on the goal.

That goal chased Legatto, who made 12 saves on 16 shots. St. Onge took over and was promptly beaten by Brenner on a rebound 2:23 later. While RIT was on a power-play, Burt took a shot from the point that was stopped by St. Onge. The rebound came to Favot who deflected a pass to Brenner in tight. Brenner was able to slip the puck in for his ninth goal of the season.

RIT bombarded the Pioneers in the opening period, holding a 20-5 edge in shots.

The Tigers ran into penalty problems in the second period, but the penalty-killing unit was outstanding, killing off all five Pioneers power-play attempts, while scoring their first shorthanded goal of the year.

Anthony Yelovich got the Pioneers on the board just 1:33 into the second, redirecting a pass from Chris Brown past Madolora.

Cornacchia scored his fourth career shorthanded goal, breaking a Tiger Division I record at the 9:27 mark of the second period to make it 6-1 Tigers. Scott Knowles (Riverside, Ontario/) forced a turnover in the Sacred Heart corner. He fed Cornacchia, who put a shot through the legs of St. Onge from the right face-off circle for his first tally of the season.

Burt was injured and taken off the ice with 13:53 left in the third period after getting hit from behind by Yelovich in the Tiger zone. Yelovich was given a five-minute major for hitting from behind and a game disqualification.

RIT is now 10-4-1 against the Pioneers. Tonight's meeting was a rematch of the 2010 AHA Championship game, which RIT also won by a 6-1 score at Blue Cross Arena.

The two teams meet once again on Saturday night to complete the season series at 7:05 p.m.