Men's Hockey | 1/11/2013 9:34:00 PM

Box Score

ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT men's hockey team (5-10-4, 3-6-3 AHA), playing its first game on home ice in 33 days, fell to Atlantic Hockey Association rival Bentley (8-9-1, 6-5-1 AHA) by a score of 3-0 in front of 1,911 fans at Ritter Arena on Friday evening. The Tigers were shutout for the first time this season.

Branden Komm was sensational in net for the Falcons, stopping 41 shots, as RIT out-shot Bentley, 41-29. The 41 shots are the most RIT has fired in a shutout loss at the Division I level.

Brett Switzer led the Falcons with a goal and an assist, while Brett Hartung and Justin Breton also scored for the Falcons.

RIT goaltender Josh Watson (Lititz, PA/Powell River Kings) made 26 saves in the loss. Brad McGowan (Langley, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) led the Tigers with seve shots on goal, as they fall to 2-4-1 at home this season. The four home losses in AHA play are the most in a single-season for RIT. The Tigers lost just three games at home against AHA opponents from 2009-2012, spanning three seasons.

RIT who came into the game hot on the power-play, went scoreless in four chances with the man-advantage. RIT set a Division I single-game record by taking just one penalty for two minutes. Bentley was 0-for-1 with the man-advantage.

RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson thought his team played well at times, but knows they have to play harder to win.

"We have to find ways to put the puck in the net," said Wilson. "We had stretches where we played very well, but were unable to get the puck past their goaltender, who was really good tonight. Our will to win, especially down the upcoming stretch of games needs to be stronger."

The Tigers dominated the opening period, out-shooting the Falcons, 18-7, but entered the first intermission down 1-0.

RIT peppered the Bentley net throughout the period, but Komm was sensational. He made a tremendous save on Greg Noyes (Lucan, Ontario/Salmon Arm Silverbacks) during a RIT power-play at the side of the net, as Noyes snuck in backdoor after taking a perfect feed from Matt Garbowsky (St. George, Ontario/Powell River Kings).

Bentley got on the board with 1:54 left in the period, as Zach Ledford intercepted a RIT pass in the neutral zone and fed Switzer. Switzer skated in on a 3-on-2, faked a pass and then fired a shot that Watson got a piece of, but it trickled through Watson's inside of his arm and in for the goal to make it 1-0 Bentley.

RIT came right back and nearly tied the game in the final minute, as Brad Shumway (Lafayette, CO/Chicago Steel) was all alone in the slot after a Bentley defensive miscue. Shumway tried to go high, but Komm blocked the shot away to keep his team in the lead.

The Falcons scored two more times in the second period, taking a commanding three-goal lead after 40 minutes of play.

RIT nearly tied the game in the first few moments of the period, as Ben Lynch (Blaine, MN/Lincoln Stars) won a face-off to Jeff Smith (Spokane, WA/Tri-City Storm) in front, who then slid a pass to Josh Mitchell (Osoyoos, British Columbia/Alberni Valley Bulldogs), who looked to have a sure goal, but Komm somehow kept the puck out, sliding to make a huge save.

Hartung gave the Falcons a 2-0 lead at the 10:40 mark of the period, as Watson allowed a huge rebound on a harmless looking shot by Andrew Fitzstephens from the slot, and Hartung, unmarked, was there to fire in the carom into the open side.

Just 3:02 later, Brett Switzer stripped a Tiger defenseman in front of the RIT net, and fed a wide open Breton, who fired a shot past Watson, who had no chance on the tally.

Bentley nearly made it 4-0 late in the period, while shorthanded, as Breton came in all alone on Watson, had the goaltender beat, but fired the puck off the left post and out.

The Tigers did keep Bentley's Brett Gensler, who came into the game leading the country in points per game, off the scoresheet. RIT leads the all-time series between the two schools, 15-6-2 and is 13-5-2 against the Falcons since 2006.

The two teams conclude their regular season series on Saturday night, once again at 7:05 p.m.