Men's Hockey | 12/30/2010 6:20:22 PM

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PITTSBURGH, PA – Tyler Brenner (Linwood, Ontario/) scored two goals, including the game-winning tally with 1:19 left in regulation to give the RIT men's hockey team (10-7-2, 9-3-1 AHA) its fourth straight win, 4-3 over Robert Morris (12-5-2, 7-5-2 AHA) before 6,957 fans at CONSOL Energy Center on Thursday afternoon.

Brenner took a feed from Ben Lynch (Blaine, MN/Lincoln Stars) inside the Colonials zone, skated in and fired a low wrist shot through the legs of Robert Morris goaltender Brooks Ostergard for the game-winner. Andrew Favot (King City, Ontario/) also assisted on the goal, Brenner's 14th of the season.

Cameron Burt (Detroit, MI/) and Adam Mitchell (Crofton, MD/Baystate Breakers) also scored for the Tigers, who are now 10-3-1 over their last 14 games. They now hold a three-point lead over Robert Morris for first place in the Atlantic Hockey Association standings. Favot and Eliot Raibl (Vancouver, British Columbia/Quesnel Millionaires) added a pair of assists apiece.

Robert Morris out-shot RIT, 35-29, including 24-13 over the final two periods. Shane Madolora (Salinas, CA/) made 32 saves in net for the Tigers to improve to 8-0-1 on the season, and 8-0-0 in AHA play. He made several big saves in the third period to keep the game tied at 3-3.

RIT was 0-for-5 with the man-advantage, while Robert Morris scored two power-play goals in six chances.

RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson was relieved to get the win.

“I thought we played well against a good team and am thrilled to get an important two points in conference play,” said Wilson. “Robert Morris kept us on our toes, as it almost felt like a playoff game.”

RIT came out and controlled the game over the first 15 minutes, but surrendered two goals within a span of 1:31 late in the period, as the two teams went to the locker room after 20 minutes tied at 2-2.

The Tigers opened the scoring 4:57 in, as Burt buried a rebound from in close after a point shot from Eliot Raibl (Vancouver, British Columbia/Quesnel Millionaires) made its way through to Ostergard. Burt won the offensive zone face-off to Mike Janda (Glen Ellyn, IL/) who found Raibl alone at the point.

It was the first even strength goal allowed by Robert Morris in 205:17.

Brenner scored his first goal of the game at the 11:28 mark of the period, taking a tremendous feed from Favot down low while the teams were skating 4-on-4 and put the puck into the open net to give RIT a 2-0 lead. Favot was patient, getting Ostergard to commit before finding Brenner all alone in front.

The Colonials scored twice in a span of 1:31 late in the opening period to tie the game at 2-2. Furman South tallied a power-play goal at the 16:11 mark to cut the RIT lead in half.

Mitchell nearly gave RIT a 3-1 lead late in the period, as he batted in a loose puck off a shot by Chris Haltigin (Oakville, Ontario/) but it was disallowed, as he swatted the puck in with a high stick.

On the ensuing face-off in the RIT zone, Brock Meadows fired a shot that was tipped in by Joseph Harcharick in close, with what looked to be a high stick. Madolora argued with the referees to no avail, as Robert Morris tied the game.

Mitchell scored the only goal of the second period, just after RIT killed off a Robert Morris power-play. He took a feed from Raibl on a 2-on-1 and ripped a high wrist shot over the shoulder of Ostergard for his eighth goal of the season. Chris Haltigin (Oakville, Ontario/) also assisted on the goal.

The Colonials tied the game just 24 seconds into the third period, on a power-play, as Trevor Lewis buried a rebound from in close after a shot by Adam Brace was stopped by Madolora.

RIT is now 2-1-1 all-time against the Colonials, and 2-0 in 2010-11. On Oct. 29, Mitchell scored with 1:19 left in overtime to give RIT its first win of the 2010-11 season, 3-2 over Robert Morris at Ritter Arena. The two teams will meet one more time this season on Feb. 19 at Robert Morris.

The game was played at CONSOL Energy Center, home of the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins, as part of a doubleheader to kick off the Bridgestone Winter Classic. The American Hockey League's Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins and Hershey Bears were the second half of the doubleheader.

RIT is right back in action on Saturday to ring in 2011, as they host Merrimack in its final non-conference regular season game of the season at 7:05 p.m.