Men's Hockey | 1/22/2011 9:41:43 PM

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WORCESTER, MA – Holy Cross' Mike Daly tied the score at 3-3 with 3:38 to play in the third period as the RIT men's hockey team (13-8-5, 12-3-4 AHA) and Holy Cross (7-14-3, 6-8-3 AHA) skated to a 3-3 tie in Atlantic Hockey Association action on Saturday. The Tigers, who are unbeaten in their last 10 (7-0-3) AHA contests, earned three points during the weekend after a 4-0 defeat of the Crusaders on Friday.

“I'm happy with the three points,” said Head Coach Wayne Wilson. “They (Holy Cross) came out determined tonight and I think we handled it pretty well and got out of here with three points.”

Freshman Ben Lynch (Blaine, MN/Lincoln Stars) scored a career high two goals for the Tigers, including what would have been the go-ahead goal late in the second period before Daly tied the game.

The Tigers finish their regular season series with Holy Cross with a 1-0-1 record.

Holy Cross got on the board first at 4:49 of the first period on a goal by Erik Vos. He tipped home a slap shot from the point that beat RIT goaltender Shane Madolora (Salinas, CA/) low.

RIT answered back less than a minute later on Chris Saracino (St. Louis, MO/Green Bay Gamblers)'s second goal of the season. He sped into the Holy Cross zone unchecked and fired a wrist shot from between the circles that beat Holy Cross goaltender Adam Roy cleanly. Greg Noyes (Lucan, Ontario/Salmon Arm Silverbacks) had the assist on the play.

The Crusaders Kyle Fletcher scored a power play goal, the first allowed by the Tigers in 33 chances, at 15:45 of the first period to give Holy Cross a brief 2-1 lead.

Just 23 seconds later, Lynch drove into the Crusaders zone, circled around the net and caught Roy off his line stuffing the puck home to tie the score at 2-2. The goal was the second of the season for Lynch and his first of two on the game.

RIT had three really good short-handed chances early in the second period. Mike Janda (Glen Ellyn, IL/) won the battle along the half-boards and sprang Taylor McReynolds (Sherwood Park, Alberta/) in alone on Roy. McReynolds had two cracks at a goal but Roy came up with the big saves.

Janda had a chance off a face-off win in the Holy Cross zone and Cameron Burt (Detroit, MI/) had a partial break, both chances saved by Roy.

Later in the second, Daniel Spivak (Thornhill, Ontario/) had a slap shot ring off the cross bar and Roy covered the rebound before Lynch could poke it home.

Lynch gave RIT its first lead of the contest at 14:37 of the second period. It was a power play tally and his second goal of the game. Lynch took a pass from Michael Colavecchia behind the Holy Cross net and skated in front unchecked roofing a shot over Roy's shoulder. Chris Haltigin (Oakville, Ontario/) also had an assist on the play.

With 3:38 to play in the third, Holy Cross's Mike Daly fired a slap shot from the left point that Madolora never saw, tying the score at 3-3.

Shane Madolora (Salinas, CA/) saved the game for the Tigers in the waning seconds of regulation, making three brilliant saves including one with his glove to keep the game tied. He finished with 37 saves and is now 11-0-4 on the season.  He is the lone goaltender in all of Division I not to have lost a game this season.

“I thought Shane played really well tonight,” stated Wilson. “He seems to come to life with the game on the line.”

Sean Murphy (Owatonna, MN/) had a great chance early in the overtime when he and Cameron Burt (Detroit, MI/) broke in 2-on-1. Roy made the save on a wrist shot from Murphy that kept the game tied at 3-3.

RIT was out shot by Holy Cross 40-26. The Tigers went 1-for-3 on the power play and allowed one goal in five power play chances by the Crusaders.

The Tigers are now 16-1-2 against Holy Cross since the start of the 2006-07 season.  The Tigers extended their unbeaten streak at the Hart Center to eight games (6-0-2).  RIT has a four-point lead in the AHA standings over Niagara.

Lynch finished with two goals, Haltigin added a pair of assist for the Tigers who will host Mercyhurst College next Saturday, January 29. Face-off at Ritter Arena is at 7:05 pm.