Men's Hockey | 10/12/2012 8:11:00 PM

Box Score Box Score

ANN ARBOR, MI -- The No. 3 University of Michigan (1-1-0) scored four unanswered third period goals to break open a close game and defeat the The RIT men's hockey team (1-1-0) 7-2 in non-conference action from historic Yost Ice Arena on Friday night. Senior forward Jeff Smith (Spokane, WA/Tri-City Storm) scored both RIT goals.

Shots on goal were 51-23 in favor of the Wolverines. Jordan Ruby (Tavistock, Ontario/Wellington Dukes) made plenty of great saves on the evening, but eventually took the loss for the Tigers, stopping 44 shots. Michigan out-shot RIT 39-13 over the first and third periods.

Michigan took a 1-0 lead at 9:11 of the first period on a goal by Lee Moffie. He fired a hard slap shot from the right point that deflected  off a skate of a Tigers defender and past Ruby.

Adam Mitchell (Crofton, MD/Baystate Breakers), Anthony Hamburg (Phoenix, AZ/Omaha Lancers) and Chris Saracino (St. Louis, MO/Green Bay Gamblers) gave the Tigers a charge late in the period generating some traffic in front and getting shots on Michigan goaltender Steve Racine, who earned the win, stopping 21 shots.

With RIT on the power play, Derek DeBlois stole the puck from behind the RIT net, skated out front and fed Travis Lynch who beat Ruby for a 2-0 Michigan lead at 18:33 of the period.

RIT came back with more energy in the second period, generating some good scoring chances.

Smith poked home an apparent goal at 5:12 of the period. The referee waived off the goal. However, upon video review, the officials awarded Smith and the Tigers the goal, cutting the Wolverine's lead to 2-1.

Ruby came up with two huge saves midway through the period, one, a pad save with 9:46 to play on a 3-on-1 breakaway by the Wolverines, and another on a short-handed breakaway by Michigan.

With 4:44 to play in the period, RIT turned over the puck at their own blue line in an attempted breakout. Cristoval Nieves intercepted the breakout pass, fed Phil Di Giuseppe who beat Ruby with a wrist shot to give Michigan a 3-1 lead.

Smith scored his second of the game at 5:18 of the third period, cutting the Wolverines lead to 3-2. He jammed home a rebound off a shot from Greg Noyes (Lucan, Ontario/Salmon Arm Silverbacks). Ben Lynch (Blaine, MN/Lincoln Stars) had the second assist on the play.

The Wolverines exploded offensively from that point on, scoring four unanswered goals to break the game wide open. Goals by A.J.Treais, Andrew Sinelli, Jacob Trouba and Lindsay Sparks in a span of 5:47 sealed the win for the Wolverines.

RIT went 0-for-4 with the man advantage, while Michigan was 1-for-6 on the power play.

The Tigers stunned the Wolverines last night, 5-4 in overtime. RIT trailed 3-0 and 4-2 midway through the third period. Adam Hartley (West Vancouver, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) scored the game-winner 14 seconds into overtime to give the Tigers the win.

The Tigers return home next weekend when they face Penn State University at Blue Cross Arena as the feature event for Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend. Face-off is at 7:35 p.m. Tickets are on sale at www.rithockey.com or at the Gordon Field House Box Office in person or by calling (585) 475-4121.