Men's Hockey | 11/2/2012 8:19:00 PM

Box Score Click here for game stats

WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA - The RIT hockey team (1-4-1, 0-1-1 AHA) held two separate one-goal leads, but could not hold on to the victory, skating to a 2-2 tie against American International (2-3-1, 0-1-1 AHA) on Friday evening at the Olympia Ice Center.

Brad Reid (Delta, British Columbia/Coquitlam Express) scored his first collegiate goal for the Tigers in the first period, while Adam Mitchell (Crofton, MD/Baystate Breakers) netted his third tally of the season. Greg Noyes (Lucan, Ontario/Salmon Arm Silverbacks) dished out a pair of assists. Mike Colavecchia (Maple, Ontario/Lindsay Muskies), RIT's leading scorer in 2011-12, made his 2012-13 debut after missing the first five games due to injury and was on the ice for RIT's second goal.

In net, Jordan Ruby (Tavistock, Ontario/Wellington Dukes) was solid for the Tigers, stopping 29-of-31 shots.

Steve Mele and Jason Popek scored for American International. Ben Meisner was outstanding in net for the Yellowjackets, stopping 41-of-43 shots, including a handful of huge saves late in the third period and overtime.

With RIT leading 2-1 heading into the third period, American International got the tying goal with 12:34 left in regulation, as Popek tipped a shot from in close on the rush over Ruby.

The Tigers turned up their intensity over the final five minutes of regulation and in overtime, pounding the Yellowjackets net. RIT hit a post and crossbar and Meisner made a handful of huge saves to keep the game tied. RIT had a sustained shift of over a minute in the Yellowjacket zone buzzing around, but could not get the big goal.

Brad Shumway (Lafayette, CO/Chicago Steel) had Meisner beat but rang a shot off the right post from the slot. Seconds later, Matt Garbowsky (St. George, Ontario/Powell River Kings) fired a shot from in close off the crossbar. Meisner then robbed Garbowsky again from in close, and folied Brad McGowan (Langley, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) on a rebound.

In overtime, Mitchell had a great chance off a cleanly won face-off by Ben Lynch (Blaine, MN/Lincoln Stars), but fired the puck right into the crest of Meisner's jersey.

RIT out-shot AIC, 43-31. The Tigers were 1-for-2 with the man-advantage, while the Yellowjackets were 1-for-4.

"Late in the game, we finally turned up our intensity and generated great chances," said RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson. "We are still not playing with urgency on the defensive end and are not working as hard as we need to be. We are playing good at times, but not great. We had our chances to win tonight, but we must be better for 60 minutes."

RIT led 1-0 after a quickly played first period in which the Tigers held a 13-11 edge in shots.

The Tigers started slow, as American International fored seven of the game's first nine shots. Ruby was tested right off the bat and made a handful of big saves to keep the game scoreless.

Reid scored his first collegiate goal at the 8:38 mark, as good cycling by the Tigers down low led to the tally. Noyes fed Bryan Potts (Niagara Falls, Ontario/Markham Waxers) down low and Potts fed a perfect pass to the slot, where Reid was there to hammer a shot past Meisner for the goal.

RIT had a golden chance to go up 2-0 late in the period, but the puck bounced over a Tiger players stick with an open net in front.

American International thought they tied the game late in the period, as a shot eluded Ruby and trickled towards the goal line but was swept away at the last second by a Tiger defenseman.

Both teams tallied a power-play goal in the second period, as RIT held a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes of play.

The Yellowjackets tied the game at 1-1 2:45 into the period on the man-advantage, as Mele fired a low hard shot past Ruby from the slot. Richard Leitner and Adam Pleskach tallied on the goal.

RIT has now allowed a power-play goal in all six games this season.

Ruby made his best save of the period, robbing Pleskach from the slot on the power-play midway through the frame.

Mitchell scored his third gol of the season and third in his last two games with 1:30 left in the period, as he took a feed from Greg Noyes (Lucan, Ontario/Salmon Arm Silverbacks) at the left face-off circle, walked in alone and put a shot past Meisner to the far post. Chris Saracino (St. Louis, MO/Green Bay Gamblers) also assisted on the goal.

RIT is now 19-3-2 all-time against the Yellowjackets, 16-3-1 since moving to Division I in 2005. The Tigers have outscored AIC 87-35 in those 20 contests. RIT is 7-2-1 all-time at the Olympia Ice Arena.

Senior Jeff Smith (Spokane, WA/Tri-City Storm) was held off the scoresheet for the first time this season, snapping his point-scoring streak at five games.

The two teams meet once again on Saturday night, with the contest beginning at 7:05 p.m.