Men's Hockey | 2/20/2010 10:18:08 PM

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ROCHESTER, NY – Goaltender Jared DeMichiel (Avon, CT/) made 27 saves to record his fifth shutout of the season, as the RIT men's hockey team (20-11-1, 20-5-1 AHA) picked up its 20th win of the season and fourth in a row, 3-0 over Air Force (12-14-6, 12-8-6 AHA) on Saturday evening before a capacity crowd at Ritter Arena.

It is RIT's first shutout against Air Force in the Division I era and second series sweep. It was the first time Air Force was shutout in AHA play dating back to Oct. 26, 2007.  The Tigers and Falcons split the season series, 2-2. The all-time series between the two schools is knotted at 12-12-2.

Tonight's contest was the 21st meeting between the two schools since the start of the 2005-06 season.

RIT's defense was outstanding all evening long, allowing just 16 shots over the first two periods, and very few quality chances. Air Force had four third period power-plays, but was unable to get anything past DeMichiel, who improved his goals against average to 2.11 on the season, fourth best in all of Division I. He is 19-4-1 in AHA play with a 1.75 goals against average and .933 save percentage.

RIT out-shot Air Force 33-27. The Tigers were 1-for-6 with the man-advantage, while Air Force was 0-for-5. Air Force goaltender Andrew Volkening made 30 saves in defeat.

The Tigers, who clinched the outright AHA regular season title this evening, scored all three of their goals in a 10-minute span during the second period. Defensemen #Chris Haltigin, Chris Tanev (Toronto, Ontario/), and Dan Ringwald (Oakville, Ontario/) all lit the lamp for RIT, who is 11-2-0 at home this season.

RIT is now third nationally, allowing just 2.19 goals per game.  In AHA play, RIT has allowed just 1.79 goals per game, by far the fewest.

Andrew Favot (King City, Ontario/) added two assists, giving him 18 points in the last 10 games and 37 (11-26-37) on the season, most on the team.

RIT now has 41 points in AHA play and needs just two more to smash the single-season record for points in a season, which RIT and Air Force set last season. The Tigers will be the top seed in the AHA Tournament.

RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson was thrilled to get a weekend sweep against a tough opponent in Air Force.

“To beat Air Force, a team that so well-coached, is very rewarding,” said Wilson. “Air Force came out desperate and took it to us for the first 10 minutes. We held them off, came out strong in the second period, and the penalty killing was great in the third. Defensively, we did not give them any room 5-on-5, and are playing with a lot of poise right now.”

Neither team scored in a defensive-minded first period of play. Air Force held the advantage in play over the first 10 minutes, but RIT was able to keep the Falcons at bay. RIT held a territorial advantage over the final half of the period and led in shots, 12-7.

RIT got on the board just 3:11 into the second period, as Haltigin fired a shot from the right point that got past Volkening, just under the crossbar. Scott Knowles (Riverside, Ontario/) and Chris Saracino (St. Louis, MO/Green Bay Gamblers) assisted on the goal, Haltigin's sixth of the year.

Tanev gave RIT a 2-0 lead midway through the frame, as he took a feed from Favot after an Air Force giveaway. Tanev rocketed a wrist shot over Volkening and just under the cross bar for his seventh goal of the year.

Just 2:36 later, Ringwald scored his second goal in as many nights and 10th of the season, as he gloved down a pass from Favot in the slot, and best Volkening high to the blocker side . Cameron Burt (Detroit, MI/) also assisted on the power-play goal.

Last night, Tyler Mazzei (Kelowna, British Columbia/) scored 1:10 into overtime to lift the Tigers to the AHA regular season title, 3-2. Burt and Ringwald also scored for RIT.

Both games against Air Force were sellouts this weekend. RIT now has five sellouts in 13 home games this season.

The Tigers conclude the regular season next weekend, as AHA rival Canisius travels east on I-90 to Ritter Arena. Both Friday and Saturday's contests begin at 7:05 p.m.