Men's Hockey | 1/26/2013 9:34:00 PM

Box Score

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – The RIT men's hockey team (8-11-5, 6-7-4 AHA) had its four-game unbeaten streak snapped, falling to No. 17 Niagara University (15-4-5, 14-1-2 AHA) by a score of 6-4 in a wild, high-scoring affair in front of 1,559 fans at Dwyer Arena on Saturday night.

The two teams combined for 75 shots and net and six power-play goals. Both teams came into the game with penalty-killing units above 85 percent, ranked in the top-20 nationally.

Down 6-4 in the third, RIT tried to generate great chances at a comeback and were successful on several occasions, but Niagara goaltender Carsen Chubak and the Niagara defense shut the door. Nolan Descoteaux (Dallas, TX/South Shore Kings) had a great point chance robbed by Chubak, then in the final minute, Dan Schuler (Webster, NY/Powell River Kings) ripped a shot from the slot that looked destined for the upper right corner, snatched out the air by Chubak's glove.

Chris Saracino (St. Louis, MO/Green Bay Gamblers) and Mike Colavecchia (Maple, Ontario/Lindsay Muskies) both tallied a goal and two assists for the Tigers in the losing effort. Greg Noyes (Lucan, Ontario/Salmon Arm Silverbacks) added a goal and an assist, while Adam Mitchell (Crofton, MD/Baystate Breakers) also scored.

C.J. Chartrain scored a pair of goals for the Purple Eagles, while Marc Zanette, Patrick Divjak, Dan Kolenta, and Ryan Rashid tallied a goal and an assist apiece.

Goaltending was a big difference in tonight's contest. Niagara's Carsen Chubak made 35 saves, including several from point blank range. For RIT, Josh Watson (Lititz, PA/Powell River Kings) stopped just 11-of-15 shots before being pulled 5:20 into the second. Jordan Ruby (Tavistock, Ontario/Wellington Dukes) stopped 19-of-21 shots for the Tigers in relief, but was saddled with the loss.

Both teams were 3-for-6 with the power-play. All 10 goals were scored in the first two periods. RIT out-shot Niagara 39-36.

RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson was happy with his team's play, despite the loss.

“I was really happy with our effort, the big difference was goaltending,” said Wilson. “(Carsen) Chubak was better for them, making about five unbelievable saves, and our goaltending was not as good. I thought we generated the better of the chances both nights, especially tonight. We had to expend a lot of energy being down 3-0 early, despite dominating the chances in the period.” 

Niagara jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the period was halfway over and despite RIT holding a 21-10 edge in shots, trailed 3-1 after one period of play.

RIT peppered the net early, but Niagara got on the board first at the 6:50 mark, as Rashid scored his third goal in two nights, taking a feed from Kevin Ryan in the slot on the power-play and firing a shot past Watson. On the ensuing rush up the ice, Niagara iced the puck, but inexplicably, the linesman waved it off, despite the RIT defenseman clearly winning the battle to the face-off dot. Niagara was able to take advantage and get the all-important first goal.

The Tigers responded with a great shift immediately after, as Schuler, Brad McGowan (Langley, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles), and Matt Garbowsky (St. George, Ontario/Powell River Kings) all had great chances in front stopped by Chubak.

C.J. Chartrain made it 2-0 Purple Eagles at the 8:30 mark, as he rushed down the left wing, swung around a RIT defenseman, and while cutting to the net, was able to slip a shot between the legs of Watson for his first goal of the year.

Just 49 seconds later, Zanette was the recipient of a great pass on a 2-on-1 rush from Divjak, as he roofed a shot over the shoulder of a sliding Watson to make it 3-0 Purple Eagles.

RIT dominated play for the rest of the period, getting a myriad of chances that Chubak or the defense turned aside. He made two great saves on Jeff Smith (Spokane, WA/Tri-City Storm), one on a 2-on-1, then sliding across the net to make another huge stop.

The Tigers finally got on the board at the 16:38 mark, on the power-play, as Colavecchia deposited a rebound up high over a fallen Chubak for his 10th tally of the year. Saracino fed Garbowsky down low, who the tried to stuff a shot past Chubak down low. Garrbowsky kept the puck loose, allowing Colavecchia to come in and sweep a shot from in tight just under the bar.

Both teams scored three times in a wild second period, as Niagara held a 6-4 lead after 40 minutes of play.

Saracino potted his fifth goal of the season 1:35 into the period on the power-play, as he blasted a hard slap shot past Chubak from the high slot, taking a feed from Noyes. Colavecchia also assisted on the goal.

Niagara got its lead back to 4-2 at the 5:20 mark, as Chartrain rifled a shot past Watson from the left wing on the rush, also on the power-play.

Watson was immediately pulled after that goal, but Niagara struck next just under 10 minutes later, as Divjak put home a rebound in front off a scramble, as Ruby was unable to corral the loose puck. The puck bounced into the air in the scrum after a shot by Kevin Albers and somehow got in.

RIT responded just 28 seconds later, as Mitchell buried his 10th goal of the year, as Chubak went down behind the net and never recovered. Brad Shumway (Lafayette, CO/Chicago Steel) fed Anthony Hamburg (Phoenix, AZ/Omaha Lancers) down low, who then one-timed a pass to Mitchell unmarked in the slot.

Less than a minute later, Niagara took advantage of a bad RIT defensive zone turnover, as Rashid found Lochner all alone in front to beat Ruby, who had little chance on the play.

Once again, RIT proved resilient getting its third power-play goal of the contest, as Noyes jammed home a rebound right in front after a shot by Colavecchia was stopped by Chubak. Saracino also assisted on the goal, Noyes's sixth of the year.

Tonight's game was the third and final regulation contest between the two schools this season. On Dec. 12, the two teams skated to a 2-2 tie at Niagara. Lynch scored twice for the Tigers, while Watson made 44 saves. Last night, Shumway scored his first collegiate goal with 5:42 left in regulation to help lift the Tigers to a 3-3 draw against Niagara. McGowan added a goal and an assist.

The Tigers are just 3-10-8 all-time against the Purple Eagles and 1-8-6 in the Division I era, but have a four-game unbeaten streak against them. RIT has never won at Dwyer Arena, going 0-6-4.

RIT is now 11-16-2 all-time against teams ranked in the USCHO.com Division I Top-20 poll. This season, they are 1-2-2 against ranked squads.

The Tigers return home to face Connecticut on Friday and Saturday, with both contests getting underway at 7:05 p.m.