Men's Hockey | 11/23/2012 9:59:00 PM

Box Score

ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT men's hockey team (2-7-3) rallied from a two-goal deficit to skate to a 3-3 tie against visiting Clarkson University (2-5-5) in front of a raucous, sellout crowd at Ritter Arena on Friday evening.

The game was tied at 2-2 heading into the third period before the two teams scored goals 1:01 apart. At the 4:39 mark, Brad McGowan (Langley, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) tallied his first goal of the season to give RIT its first lead of the game at 3-2. Chris Saracino (St. Louis, MO/Green Bay Gamblers) fired a pass to Ben Lynch (Blaine, MN/Lincoln Stars) in the neutral zone. Lynch came into the zone and fired a shot that Clarkson goaltender Greg Lewis stopped, but the rebound came right to McGowan, who fired a backhander past Lewis.

Clarkson got the goal right back, as Matt Zarbo converted a rebound in tight after Josh Watson (Lititz, PA/Powell River Kings) made a great save on Simon Bessette, who was streaking in on the right wing.

Watson had to come up huge on a few Clarkson chances late in regulation, his best coming on Pat Megannety. Overall, Watson made a season-high 41 saves.

Adam Hartley (West Vancouver, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) had a golden opportunity to win the game in the final seconds of regulation, as a shot by Greg Noyes (Lucan, Ontario/Salmon Arm Silverbacks) was blocked with the rebound coming right to Hartley in the slot. He tried to beat Lewis high, but the goaltender was up to the challenge to make a great save.

In overtime, Adam Mitchell (Crofton, MD/Baystate Breakers) and Ben Lynch (Blaine, MN/Lincoln Stars) had great chances during a skirmish in front of the Clarkson net. Mitchell had a chance blocked in the slot, then was stopped by Lewis. The rebound came right to Lynch at the side of the net. The junior forward tried to flip the puck over Lewis, but the goaltender got just enough to deflect it over the net.

RIT was 1-for-3 with the man-advantage, while Clarkson was 0-for-3. RIT allowed two shorthanded goals for the first time since Jan. 6, 2007 vs. Niagara in a 5-3 loss. Clarkson scored two shorthanded goals in a game for the first time since 2010.

Lynch led RIT with a goal and an assist and was named the game's first star. Saracino dished out a pair of assists and was named the game's third star. Noyes also scored a power-play goal.

Overall, Clarkson out-shot RIT 44-29, including 34-16 after period one. Bessette and Zarbo had a goal and an assists apiece for the Golden Knights. Lewis made 26 saves.

RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson thought his team played well and was happy how his team battled tonight.

"I thought it was a pretty good, entertaining game tonight," said Wilson. "We will take the tie right now. It hurt to give up the two shorthanded goals, but overall, our power-play has been good this season. It's a long season, we are not discouraged and will be fine in the long run."

The Golden Knights got on the board 6:27 into in the game, as Bessette broke in on a 2-on-1 while shorthanded and beat Watson through the legs with a hard wrist shot from the left circle for his second goal of the season.

Adam Hartley (West Vancouver, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) nearly tied the game moments later, as he sped into the Clarkson zone with a head of steam and fired a heard wrist shot past Lewis, but off the crossbar.

With RIT on another power-play late in the period, Megannety broke in on an odd-man rush after a clearing attempt went off the linesman and went right to the Clarkson forward. Megannety fired a shot over the glove of Watson at the 17:16 mark to hush the Ritter Arena faithful.

Lynch got the Tigers on the board with 38 seconds left in the period, as he tucked in a pass from Josh Mitchell (Osoyoos, British Columbia/Alberni Valley Bulldogs) at the side of the net moments after a power-play ended. Brad McGowan (Langley, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) fired a puck wide of the net from the point before heading off on a chance. Mitchell played the carom off the back boards and found Lynch who was streaking in for his third tally of the season.

Clarkson fired 16 second period shot, but the majority were from the perimeter, as RIT tallied the only goal of the frame.

With 2:06 left in the period, Mike Colavecchia (Maple, Ontario/Lindsay Muskies) unleashed a rocket off a slap shot from the right point that deflected off Noyes in front and eluded a screened Lewis, off the post and in for his fifth goal of the season. Saracino also assisted on the goal.
 
The Tigers are 2-10-2 all-time against the Golden Knights, and 0-4-1 since moving to Division I in 2005. It is the first meeting between the two schools at Ritter Arena since 2008.

RIT is now 0-3-1 at Ritter Arena this season and are riding a five-game winless streak (0-3-2). This is the second straight year that Ritter Arena was sold out for a game the night after Thanksgiving. RIT also wore their black third jerseys tonight.

RIT is back in action on Sunday, Dec. 2, as they travel west to play Air Force in a single Atlantic Hockey Association contest that gets underway at 8:05 p.m.