Men's Hockey | 3/13/2010 9:46:52 PM

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ROCHESTER, NY - The RIT men's hockey team (24-11-1) advanced to the Atlantic Hockey Association Semifinals for the third straight season, defeating No. 9 Connecticut (7-27-3) 4-1 in game two of the AHA Quarterfinals on Saturday at Ritter Arena. RIT extended its winning streak to eight games and broke a team record at the Division I level with its 24th win of the season.

The top-seeded Tigers advance to the AHA Final Four for the third straight season. RIT will play No. 5 Canisius in the first semifinal game at Rochester's Blue Cross Arena on Friday at 4 p.m. No. 2 Sacred Heart will play No. 3 Air Force in the second semifinal on Friday at 7:35 p.m.

RIT dominated every facet of the contest, out-shooting the Huskies, 37-18, facing little adversity throughout.

Cameron Burt (Detroit, MI/), Adam Hartley (West Vancouver, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles), Chris Tanev (Toronto, Ontario/), and Chris Haltigin (Oakville, Ontario/) scored for RIT. Hartley was the lone Tiger to record two points, earning first star honors. Eleven different Tigers scored points.

Tiger goaltender Jared DeMichiel (Avon, CT/) made 17 saves to earn his 23rd win of the season. He lowered his goals against average to 2.10 on the season.

Garrett Bartus, who made 51 saves in last night's contest, stopped 33 shots tonight for the Huskies. Sean Ambrosie scored Connecticut's lone goal to break RIT's shutout 5:21 into the third period on a 5-on-3 power-play.

The Tigers were 1-for-7 with the power-play, scoring with the man-advantage for the 13th straight game. Connecticut was 1-for-4.

RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson is pleased to get past the pesky Huskies and back to the AHA semifinals.

“I thought (Connecticut) was a lot more aggressive tonight and competed right to the very end,” said Wilson. “I like where we are right now, but we can always be better. We have to pull everything together for next weekend.”

Much like last night, RIT held the distinct territorial advantage, out-shooting Connecticut 15-4 and led 2-0 after 20 minutes of play.

Burt struck for RIT on the power-play, 3:28 into the contest, as he slid a perfect centering pass from Brenner into a wide open goal for his team-leading 14th goal of the year. Dan Ringwald (Oakville, Ontario/) started the play at the blue-line, feeding Brenner down low at the left side of the net. Brenner found Burt, who was all alone at the right side to tap the pass in.

Hartley gave RIT a 2-0 lead at the 14:27 mark, jamming home a rebound for his eighth goal of the season. Brent Alexin (West Seneca, NY/) came from behind the net and fed Alan Mazur (Burnaby, British Columbia/) in the high slot. Mazur's shot was blocked, but the rebound caromed right to Hartley, who was able to slide the puck past Bartus.

DeMichiel's best save of the period came early on, as he stopped Corey Jendras on the rush with a nifty blocker save.

The Tigers added to its lead in the second period, scoring twice to take a 4-0 lead after 40 minutes of play.

Tanev gave RIT a 3-0 lead 6:35 into the period, as his attempted centering pass to the front of the net went off a Connecticut defenseman and past Bartus. Hartley and Scott Knowles (Riverside, Ontario/) assisted on the goal, Tanev's ninth of the season.

Haltigin scored his second goal of the weekend, and 10th of the season at the 10:25 mark of the period to make it 4-0 Tigers. Chris Saracino (St. Louis, MO/Green Bay Gamblers) caused a turnover with a hit at the RIT blue-line, springing Mark Cornacchia (Unionville, Ontario/) and Jeff Smith (Spokane, WA/Tri-City Storm) in on a 2-on-1 rush. Cornacchia tried to feather a pass across to Smith, but had it blocked by a Connecticut defenseman, who slid into Bartus. Haltigin, trailing the play, grabbed the loose puck in front of the net and slid it into a wide open net.

RIT's defense continued its strong play, holding the Huskies to just six second period shots.

Connecticut scored the lone goal of the final period, as Ambrosie jammed home a rebound on a 5-on-3 power-play at the 5:21 mark. DeMichiel made three saves in tight before Ambrosie scored from the side of the net.

Last night, Haltigin's goal 9:54 into overtime lifted RIT to a 4-3 win. RIT out-shot Connecticut, 55-18. Bartus was sensational in net for the Huskies, stopping 51 shots.

RIT leads the all-time series between the two schools, 14-6-1. Since the start of the 2005-06 season, RIT is 9-4-1 against the Huskies. The Tigers are now 5-1 against the Huskies this season, outscoring them, 25-8. RIT defeated Connecticut earlier in the season at Ritter Arena, 6-2 and 7-0. Mazur and Ringwald recorded back-to-back hat-tricks in those two contests.

RIT is now 6-3 all-time in the postseason at the Division I level, and 6-1 at Ritter Arena. RIT has scored 36 goals in seven Ritter Arena playoff games.

The Tigers finish the 2009-10 season 15-2-0 at home this season, outscoring foes 73-30.