Men's Hockey | 2/4/2011 10:06:55 PM

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ROCHESTER, NY - Adam Hartley (West Vancouver, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) scored a power-play goal with 2:53 left in overtime, lifting the RIT men's hockey team (14-8-6, 13-3-5 AHA) to a 1-0 win over Air Force (11-10-5, 9-6-5 AHA) in front of a sellout crowd at Ritter Arena on Friday. The win extended a trio of unbeaten streaks for RIT and was also the lowest scoring game in the program's history.

RIT is now unbeaten in eight straight games overall (4-0-4), and has a 12-game unbeaten streak in AHA play (8-0-4). RIT also has a 16-game unbeaten streak at Ritter Arena against AHA foes (13-0-3), dating back to last season.

Just 34 seconds into overtime, RIT's Ben Lynch (Blaine, MN/Lincoln Stars) was hit from behind by Air Force's Kyle DeLaurell, resulting in a boarding penalty.

On the ensuing power-play, Chris Haltigin (Oakville, Ontario/) pinched in from the left point to keep an Air Force clearing attempt in the zone, zipping a pass behind the net that chipped off Michael Colavecchia, to Adam Mitchell (Crofton, MD/Baystate Breakers) behind the Falcons net. Mitchell circled around and found Hartley in the slot. Hartley one-timed a bullet of a shot over the shoulder of Air Force goaltender Jason Torf, just inside the left post for his 10th goal of the season, sending the capacity crowd into a frenzy.

Both teams had good chances in the third period. In the final minute, Hartley found himself alone in front and tried to slide a shot through the pads of Torf, but was denied. Air Force's Blake Page nearly scored on a wraparound moments earlier, but RIT goaltender Shane Madolora (Salinas, CA/) stuck his right pad out to keep the game scoreless.

The Tigers had to kill off an Air Force power-play that started with 6:19 left in the third.  Andrew Favot (King City, Ontario/) slashed a Falcons player who would have had a great chance in tight, which possibly saved a goal, but earned the penalty.

Air Force had taken just one penalty in regulation, a too many men on the ice infraction early in the second period. RIT killed off all four Air Force power-play attempts.

It was the first time that a game headed to overtime scoreless in the history of the RIT men's hockey program, dating back to 1961-62.  Tonight's game is the first 60 or 65 minute 1-0 result and is the lowest scoring contest in program history.

RIT out-shot Air Force, 37-20. Torf was excellent in net for the Falcons, stopping the first 36 shots of the night that he faced.

Madolora stopped all 20 shots he faced to extend his season-long unbeaten streak to 17 games, at 12-0-5. He now leads the nation with a .939 save percentage after recording his third shutout of the season. He also lowered his goals against average to 1.85, third best in all of Division I.

RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson was relieved to get the win against a strong Air Force team.

“It was a battle of two really good teams tonight, and we were fortunate to convert on a power-play in overtime,” said Wilson. “It seems like we always play one-goal games against (Air Force). We are now playing playoff type hockey from here on out. Tonight's game had that playoff type atmosphere, and tomorrow's will as well."

RIT now holds a six-point lead over Niagara in the AHA standings with six conference games to play.

The Tigers, who entered the game as the most penalized team in Division I, took just four penalties for eight minutes.  The 12 combined penalty minutes between the two teams tied a season-low.

Neither team scored in a first period that featured few whistles and just one penalty. The Tigers held an 11-6 edge in shots.

RIT came out and held the territorial advantage, with Mitchell nearly tallying in the first two minutes. RIT also had a great chance later in the period, when Sean Murphy (Owatonna, MN/) ripped a slap-shot from the left side of the slot that Torf snared with the quick glove hand.

The Tigers held Air Force without a shot over the final 12:58 of the second period and hit two posts of their own, but like the first period, were unable to get one past Torf, as the two teams remained scoreless after 40 minutes of play.

Greg Noyes (Lucan, Ontario/Salmon Arm Silverbacks) hit a post on the power-play midway through the period, as his shot from the high slot went over the shoulder of Torf, but hit the right post.

Moments later, Tyler Brenner (Linwood, Ontario/) took a feed from Lynch on a 3-on-2 from the slot and blasted a shot that beat Torf cleanly, but caromed off the left post.

Air Force's best chance of the period came on a power-play with 2:35 left, as Jason Fabian found himself alone in front after receiving a pass from the right side boards. Fabian one-timed the pass, but Madolora slid across to keep the game scoreless.

Tonight's meeting was the second of three between the two schools this season. Air Force rallied with three third period goals to defeat RIT, 4-3 in the first meeting at Colorado Springs on Nov. 7.

The all-time series between the two schools is knotted at 13-13-2. Since the start of the 2005-06 season, RIT is 10-11-2 against Air Force. An astounding 14 of the last 23 meetings between the two schools have been decided by one goal.

It is the second straight year that RIT defeated the Falcons in overtime on home ice. Tyler Mazzei (Kelowna, British Columbia/) scored the overtime winner on Feb. 19, 2010 to beat Air Force.

The two teams have combined to win the last four AHA Championships. Air Force won three straight from 2007-09, while RIT took the 2010 title.

Tonight's overtime win was RIT's second of the season. Mitchell scored to defeat Robert Morris, 3-2 at Ritter Arena on Oct. 29. RIT is now 2-0-6 in overtime this season.

RIT and Air Force will conclude the regular season on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. Fans are encouraged to wear white to help “White Out Ritter Arena” as part of the university's FreezeFest weekend celebration.  The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a white FreezeFest t-shirt, while all fans will get white pom-poms.