Men's Hockey | 12/11/2010 9:43:09 PM

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ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT men's hockey team (8-7-2, 7-3-1 AHA) scored four unanswered goals, rallying from a 2-0 first period deficit to defeat Mercyhurst (5-9-1, 5-7-0 AHA) 4-2 at the Mercyhurst Ice Center on Saturday. Cameron Burt (Detroit, MI/) scored the game-winning goal with 6:18 left in regulation and added an assist for the Tigers.

RIT extended its unbeaten streak at Mercyhurst Ice Center to eight games (7-0-1). They have not lost there since becoming a member of Atlantic Hockey in 2006-07.

Burt scooped up a pass from Michael Colavecchia in the neutral zone and came in with Adam Mitchell (Crofton, MD/Baystate Breakers) on a 2-on-1. Burt faked a pass across from the left wing and roofed a shot over the shoulder of Mercyhurst goaltender Ryan Zapolski for his fourth goal of the season.

Burt now has 11 points (3-8-11) during an eight-game point-scoring streak. He has a goal in three straight games.

Senior Mike Janda (Glen Ellyn, IL/) put the game away with 1:59 left, ripping a wrist shot past Zapolski from the slot after being set up by Taylor McReynolds (Sherwood Park, Alberta/) and Adam Hartley (West Vancouver, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) after a turnover in the Lakers zone.

Chris Haltigin (Oakville, Ontario/) and Hartley also scored for the Tigers. Burt and Hartley each tallied a goal and an assist.

RIT allowed a season-high 45 shots on goal, getting out-shot 45-30. RIT goaltender Shane Madolora (Salinas, CA/) was tremendous, stopping a career-high 43 shots, including 31 straight to end the contest. He now is 6-0-1 this season and 6-0-0 in AHA play.

Mike Gurtler and Steve Cameron scored for the Lakers, who have now lost three straight. Goaltender Ryan Zapolski stopped 26 shots in defeat. Mercyhurst is now 2-7-1 at home this season.

It was the first time RIT won when trailing by two goals since Nov. 22, 2008, a 5-4 win at Connecticut.

RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson was happy with how his team battled back after getting behind early.

“I told the guys after the first period that was really important to win the second period and get at least a goal,” said Wilson. “We were happy to get two (goals) there and then get two big ones in the third. Tonight's game was a great battle against a very good team. It was great to comeback on the road and get a huge road win. I really thought Shane (Madolora) was the difference tonight. He kept us in the game when it was 2-0.”

RIT was badly out-played over the first 20 minutes, allowing a pair of tallies, while being out-shot 18-6.

RIT had a few good chances early in its first power-play of the game, but the Lakers countered and scored the game's first goal, shorthanded, as Gurtler came in all alone on a breakaway, made a deke, got Madolora to commit and slid the puck just inside the left post. The Tigers were all caught on one end of the Mercyhurst zone, and Grant Blakey was able to find Gurtler behind the RIT defense.

Mercyhurst made it 2-0 at the 14:01 of the frame, as Cameron took a feed from Scott Pitt after a Tiger giveaway in the neutral zone and put a shot from in close past Madolora.

Mercyhurst had a handful of chances to go up 3-0 before the end of the period, but Madolora made some big saves.

RIT battled back in the second period to score a pair of goals and tie the game at 2-2 after 40 minutes of play.

Haltigin ripped a slap-shot from the high slot through traffic that eluded Zapolski for his third goal of the season at the 8:36 mark to make it 2-1 Lakers. Andrew Favot (King City, Ontario/) and Tyler Brenner (Linwood, Ontario/) worked hard behind the net to keep possession of the puck. Brenner wheeled and fed Haltigin, who was able to put his booming slapshot home.

RIT tied the game with just 18.7 seconds left in the period, as Adam Hartley (West Vancouver, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) ripped a shot from just outside the left face-off circle that seemed to hit a Mercyhurst defenseman and skip past Zapolski. Burt won the draw back to Hartley, who tallied his eighth goal of the 2010-11 season.

RIT is now 27-13-4 all-time against the Lakers. RIT is 11-4-1 against Mercyhurst since moving to Division I in 2005-06. The two teams were ECAC West rivals from 1988-99.

Last night, Greg Noyes (Lucan, Ontario/Salmon Arm Silverbacks) broke a 2-2 tie in the third period, as the Tigers defeated Mercyhurst by a 4-2 score. RIT out-shot Mercyhurst 43-25.

The Tigers return to action on Friday, as they host AHA foe Canisius for a single game that gets underway at 7:05 p.m.