Men's Hockey | 1/4/2013 9:36:00 PM

Box Score

CANTON, NY - In their first game action since a Dec. 12 tie at Niagara, the RIT men's hockey team (5-8-4) rallied to defeat St. Lawrence (7-9-2), 4-3 with two goals in the final 4:04 of play in a non-league contest at Appleton Arena on Friday evening. Alexander Kuqali (Pittsburgh, PA/Sioux City Musketeers) scored the game tying goal and Adam Hartley (West Vancouver, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) scored the winner with 1:30 left in the game, erasing a 3-2 Saints lead. The win runs the Tigers unbeaten streak to four games.

Anthony Hamburg (Phoenix, AZ/Omaha Lancers) and Brad McGowan (Langley, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) also scored for the Tigers, as they improve to 2-3-1 out of conference this season. Ben Lynch (Blaine, MN/Lincoln Stars) and Jeff Smith (Spokane, WA/Tri-City Storm) dished out a pair of assists apiece, while Kuqali recorded a goal and an assist. RIT goaltender Josh Watson (Lititz, PA/Powell River Kings) stopped 32 shots for his fourth win of the season.

Kyle Essery led the Saints with a pair of goals, while Sean McGovern dished out three assists. Matt Weninger took the loss in net, stopping 26 shots, as St. Lawrence has now lost five straight games.

St. Lawrence struck first with off of a 2-on-1 rush at the 11:17 mark in the first period. Kyle Essery took a feed from Greg Carey and beat Watson for his fourth goal of the season. It was the ninth time on the season that the Tigers allowed the first goal of the game.

The Saints had three power play opportunities, one coming 49 seconds into the contest, in the first 20 minutes but the Tigers penalty kill rose to the challenge and stiffled each attempt. Watson made 12 first period saves as St. Lawrence held a 13-4 lead in shots.

The action picked up in the second period with four goals scored in the first 8:27 of play. Just 2:22 into the period, St. Lawrence converted its second 2-on-1 opportunity, this one coming short-handed, to take a two goal advantage.

Just 1:34 later, Anthony Hamburg (Phoenix, AZ/Omaha Lancers) took a feed from Andrew Miller (Chicago, IL/Chicago Steel) after Saints goalie Matt Weninger turned it over in his own end. It was Hamburg's second tally of the season.

St. Lawrence converted its second short-handed goal of the period as Kyle Essery broke out on his own and beat Watson for the second time in the game. The Tigers would again quickly respond, this time 1:13 later on a power play goal from Brad McGowan (Langley, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) who beat Weninger top shelf. Lynch and Josh Mitchell (Osoyoos, British Columbia/Alberni Valley Bulldogs) were credited with assists. St. Lawrence again held a lead in shots for the period, this time a 17-11 advantage.

The Tigers dominated play in the third period, out-shooting the Saints 15-5. With 6:35 left in the game, Greg Noyes (Lucan, Ontario/Salmon Arm Silverbacks) fired a shot that beat Weninger but clanged off the post and out. Just over two minutes later, Kuqali scored the game tying goal with 4:04 left in the contest and he also had a hand in the game winner just under three minutes later. Kuqali took control of the puck at the blue line and fired a shot at net that Hartley deflected past Weninger. Smith was also credited with an assist on the winner.

Head Coach Wayne Wilson was excited about the outcome.

"I like the energy and effort we played with in the third period," said Wilson. "We had to be patient and the game changed quickly in our favor down the stretch."

Watson finished the contest with 32 saves and Weninger had 26 on the evening.

The Tigers went 1-for-4 on the power play while keeping the Saints scoreless on five man-advantage opportunities. St. Lawrence led in shots 35-30, although RIT out-shot the Saints 15-5 in the decisive third period.

It is the second time this season that RIT has allowed two shorthanded goals in a game, with the first coming at home vs. Clarkson on Nov. 23.

RIT is now 3-7-0 all-time against St. Lawrence, 3-4-0 in the Division I era. Last season, RIT rallied from a 5-3 third period deficit, scoring with nine seconds left in regulation, then got a goal from Adam Mitchell (Crofton, MD/Baystate Breakers) 14 seconds into overtime to defeat the Saints, 6-5 in front of 10,556 fans at Blue Cross Arena. Tonight's win was RIT's first ever at Appleton Arena.

The teams will conclude their two game series tomorrow night with the puck dropping at 7 p.m. It will be the final non-conference contest of the season for the Tigers.