HAMDEN, CT – Senior forward #Erin Zach (Elmira, Ontario/Cambridge Fury)# scored the game-winning goal 2:06 into overtime to lift the RIT women's hockey team (9-7-1) to a wild 4-3 overtime win over Connecticut (4-10-2) in the Nutmeg Classic Consolation hosted by Quinnipiac University on Saturday afternoon. Zach and #Marissa Maugeri (Ajax, Ontario/Durham West Lightning)# combined for six points in the contest. Zach was also named to the Nutmeg Classic All-Tournament Team.

#Kolbee McCrea (Wawa, Ontario/Burlington Barracudas)# got the scoring started for RIT, midway through the second period with a shot from the high slot. That tied the game at 1-1. With the game headed into the third period and the Tigers down 2-1, Maugeri, who finished with a goal and two assists of her own, scored just 13 seconds into the period to draw even with the Huskies once again. Trailing 3-2 with two minutes to go in the game, and goaltender #Jetta Rackleff (Bend, OR/Summit)# pulled for the extra attacker, #Celeste Brown (Great Falls, MT/National Sports Academy) would fire a shot through traffic for a clutch goal to tie it for a third time, 3-3, and force overtime. Maugeri would set up Zach for the game-winner in overtime with her goal just over two minutes into the period, giving the Tigers the 4-3 win.

In net, Rackleff made a career-best 42 saves for her first collegiate victory, including 18 in the second period.

Sarah MacDonnell, Rachel Farrell and Michela Cava scored the three goals for the Huskies, respectively, while Sarah Moses got the start in net for Connecticut, making 31 saves on 35 shots.

The first period between the two squads was very balanced, as each would control momentum on several occasions. Just 7:17 into the period, RIT would go on the first power play of the game, but would commit a penalty of their own to set up a 4-on-4 situation. Both penalties would be killed off and the game remained scoreless for the remainder of the period. Zach and Maugeri both had breakaways thwarted by Moses.

The second period started with a bang for the Huskies who cashed in on a goal just 1:20 into the period to take a 1-0 lead. Minutes later Connecticut would go on a power play looking to extend their lead but RIT would hold strong, killing off the penalty and springing some offensive pressure of the own, including another breakaway attempt by Zach that went wide. Finally the Tigers broke through with 9:19 to go in the period, thanks to McCrea's goal, which evened things up at 1-1.

As the period continued, RIT played solid defensively killing off several more penalties, until Farrell answered with a goal for UConn with a little over two minutes to go. The 2-1 score would stand for the remainder of the period. Heading into the break shots were 28-24 in favor of the Huskies.

13 seconds is all it took for RIT's offense to come to life in the third, as a Maugeri shot found the back of the net and tied the game at 2-2. Connecticut, however, stayed aggresive on offense as the period wore on, eventually cashing in for their third goal with 10:10 remaining in the game.

With things looking dismal for RIT down 3-2 and two minutes to go, RIT Head Coach #Scott McDonald# pulled Rackleff from the goal to set up a 6-on-5 opportunity. The decision would pay off for the Tigers as seconds later, Brown would score to tie it at 3-3 and the teams were headed to overtime.

In overtime, the Tigers carried over the momentum from their late, game tying goal, to score 2:06 into the period, courtesy of Zach to steal the game in dramatic fashion.

Shots were in favor of UConn 45-35, as both goalies saw a lot of action in net. 

It was Zach and Maugeri who really led the charge, with career days. For Zach, the win was the first three point performance of her career. Maugeri's two assists was a single game career high and part her three-point performace, a feat she has now achieved twice in her career.

Being the first ever meeting between the two schools, RIT now leads the all-time series with Connecticut, 1-0-0 and finished the Nutmeg Classic in third with a 1-1 record on the weekend. The Tigers fell to host school Quinnipiac in round one of the tournament on Friday.

RIT will return to CHA play next weekend Dec. 6-7 with a two game series at No. 10 Robert Morris. The puck drops at 7 p.m. on Friday night and 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon.