Men's Hockey | 11/25/2011 9:42:00 PM

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ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT men's hockey team (5-4-2) allowed power-play goals 1:10 apart in the second period, as visiting Rensselaer (3-10-0) skated away with a 2-0 win in front of a sellout crowd at Ritter Arena on Friday evening in front of a capacity crowd of 2,100 fans.  The loss snapped a five-game unbeaten streak for the Tigers.

Nick Bailen and Ryan Haggerty tallied both power-play goals after Brad McGowan (Langley, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) was whistled for a major penalty for hitting from behind and was given a game misconduct just 28 seconds into the period.

Bailen whistled a shot through a screen and past RIT goaltender Shane Madolora (Salinas, CA/) to the far side from the right side of the high slot at the 1:20 mark of the period.  Brock Higgs carried the puck up the ice and wide, firing a cross-ice goal-mouth feed that went off the stick of Haggerty and then off a Tiger defenseman and just inside the right post for the goal at the 2:30 mark.

The special teams proved to be the difference, as Rensselaer was 2-for-3 with the man-advantage, while killing off all six RIT power-plays.  Rensselaer out-shot RIT, 30-25.

Rensselaer goaltender Scott Diebold, a native of Buffalo, was excellent in net, stopping all 25 shots he faced for his first collegiate win and shutout. 

In the third period, Adam Mitchell (Crofton, MD/Baystate Breakers) rang a shot off the crossbar just a minute in from the slot.  A few moments later Daniel Spivak (Thornhill, Ontario/) fired a shot off a face-off that beat Diebold, but it rang off the crossbar and out.

Madolora was very strong in net for the Tigers, stopping 28 shots in his first loss of the season.  He made a handful of great saves in the third period to keep the score 2-0.

RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson thought that special teams proved to be the difference tonight.

“I thought was a very close checking game for the most part, they (Rensselaer) are very good defensively, we took some chances late, and Shane (Madolora) made some big saves,” said Wilson.  “The penalty killing has been very good recently, but we were sloppy on their chances, and we never got the momentum going for ourselves.  We got some good looks later on but weren't able to capitalize.”

Neither team scored in an uneventful first period that featured plenty of play in Ritter Arena's small neutral zone.  Brock Higgs had Rensselaer's best chance five minutes into the period, as he snuck in behind the Tigers defense and came in alone on Madolora.  Higgs tried to go high, but Madolora made a great shoulder save.

Adam Mitchell (Crofton, MD/Baystate Breakers) had RIT's best chance in the period, as he was all alone in front after receiving a pass from behind the net.  Mitchell tried to go high, but Diebold was up to the task, making the save.

Rensselaer out-shot RIT, 9-5 during the period, but quality scoring chances for both squads were few and far between.
RIT found some jump later in the second period and carried the play over the final 10 minutes, but Diebold thwarted every chance, keeping the score 2-0 after 40 minutes of play. 

Mitchell found himself alone in front of the Rensselaer after a turnover, but Diebold made a great pad save.  Chris Saracino (St. Louis, MO/Green Bay Gamblers) fired a shot off a turnover that Diebold stopped, but the rebound came right back to Saracino in the slot, but once again Diebold made a strong save.

RIT is now 1-5-0 all-time against the Engineers.  Tonight's game was the first between the two schools that was played in Rochester.

Tonight, the Tigers wore their alternate black jerseys for the second time this season.  RIT has now been shut-out three times this season, all at Ritter Arena.

The Tigers return to action next Friday and Saturday, as they travel east to play Atlantic Hockey Association rival Connecticut.  Both games begin at 7:05 p.m.