Men's Hockey | 3/15/2013 9:57:00 PM

Box Score

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – Giancarlo Iuorio scored two third period goals, including the game-winner with 8:32 left in regulation that snapped a 2-2 tie and lifted host Niagara (22-8-5), the Atlantic Hockey Association top-seed, ranked No. 15 in the USCHO.com Division I poll to a 3-2 win over the eighth-seeded RIT men's hockey team (15-17-5) in game one of the AHA Quarterfinals series at Dwyer Arena on Friday evening.
 
The game was tied at 1-1 heading into the third period, when Iuorio tipped in a shot from the point from C.J. Chartrain in front of the net past RIT goaltender Jordan Ruby (Tavistock, Ontario/Wellington Dukes) with 16:33 left in regulation.
 
RIT came on and tied the game at 2-2 with 11:34 left, on the power-play, as Adam Mitchell (Crofton, MD/Baystate Breakers) shoveled in a loose puck in front, putting home a rebound from a Matt Garbowsky (St. George, Ontario/Powell River Kings) shot for his 11th tally of the season. Mike Colavecchia (Maple, Ontario/Lindsay Muskies) also assisted on the goal.
 
Iuorio gave Niagara the lead back for good with 8:32 left, as he took a feed from Dan Weiss at the left side of the RIT net and put a shot past Ruby, who was going post-to-post for the eventual game-winning tally.
 
The Tigers buzzed for the final eight minutes, getting several good chances and dominating play in the Niagara zone, but could not solve goaltender Carsen Chubak and the Purple Eagles defense, which blocked 22 shots on the evening.
 
Overall, Niagara held the shot advantage, 32-27. RIT was 1-for-2 with the man-advantage, while Niagara was 0-for-2.
 
Garbowsky led the Tigers with a goal and an assist to be named the game's third star, extending his point-streak to 10 games. Ruby was strong in net for RIT in defeat, stopping 29 shots.
 
Chubak made 25 saves for the Purple Eagles to be named the game's second star. Iuorio scored twice and added an assist, earning first star honors. Jason Beattie also scored for Niagara.
 
“I thought tonight's game was a real heavyweight bout, two good teams going at it for 60 minutes,” said RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson. “I was happy with our game, but Niagara got the job done, tip your cap to them. I thought we got stronger as the game went on. I thought our effort was good, but we just have to be a little better tomorrow night.”
 
Neither team scored in a fairly even first period of play, with the Purple Eagles holding a 13-7 edge in shots.
 
Niagara had the first five shots of the contest and Ruby was up to the task. His best save came on Ryan Murphy off a turnover on a defensive zone face-off. Ruby was able to get his right pad on the shot from in close.
 
RIT had a golden chance midway through the period, as Dan Schuler (Webster, NY/Powell River Kings) fed a perfect pass into the slot for Garbowsky, who was wide open. Garbowsky wired a slap shot that Chubak got just enough of with the glove to deflect it wide.
 
Moments later, RIT broke into the zone on a 5-on-2 rush, but Greg Noyes (Lucan, Ontario/Salmon Arm Silverbacks) fired a shot wide from the high slot.
 
Both teams scored once in the second period, as the game was deadlocked at after 40 minutes of play.
 
Garbowsky continued his torrid run, taking a feed from Brad McGowan (Langley, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) on a 2-on-1 and blasting a shot past Chubak for his 11th goal of the season at the 6:11 mark of the period, giving RIT a 1-0 lead. Schuler carried the puck into the neutral zone and got the puck to McGowan on the left side, in turn taking out two Niagara players. The rush turned into a 2-on-1 and McGowan fed the pass across to Garbowsky, who corralled it with his skate and then fired a shot past Chubak, who didn't get across in time.
 
Niagara thought they had scored moments later, as Iuorio put a loose puck in front past Ruby, but the goal was quickly and emphatically waved off, as it was ruled not only that he put it in with a gloved pass, but was also called for goaltender interference.
 
Ruby made a big save midway through the frame on a good low shot by Chris Lochner to keep RIT's lead.
 
Niagara kept coming and tied the game at the 15:02 mark, as a shot by Iuorio went wide off the back boards, but bounced in front right to Beattie, who was charging in. Beattie was able to get to the loose puck and chip a backhander over Ruby and in for the goal.
 
Garbowsky now has a 10-game point scoring streak, with nine goals and 10 assists over that span. He now leads the team in scoring with 33 points (11-22-33) this season. McGowan has a point in eight straight games (2-8-10).
 
Senior Adam Hartley (West Vancouver, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) played in his school record 149th game this evening.
 
RIT is now 16-7 all-time AHA Postseason contests since becoming eligible for the league's postseason in 2007-08. It is the first time that RIT played away from Rochester in any AHA postseason contests. The Tigers are appearing in the AHA Quarterfinals for the sixth straight season and will look to advance to the semifinals for the sixth year in a row.
 
RIT is now 0-2-2 against Niagara this season. The two teams skated to a 2-2 draw in Niagara on Dec. 12 and 3-3 tie at Ritter Arena on Jan. 25. Niagara defeated RIT 6-4 in Niagara on Jan. 26.
 
RIT is 3-11-8 all-time against the Purple Eagles and 1-9-6 in the Division I era, including an 0-7-4 mark at Dwyer Arena. Six of the last nine meetings between the two schools have gone to overtime.
 
This weekend marks the second time that the two teams have met in the postseason, as the Tigers ended Niagara's season last year with a 2-1 overtime win in the AHA Semifinals at Blue Cross Arena.
 
RIT has now lost game one of a best of three AHA playoff series three times. The previous two times, the Tigers rallied back to win games two and three and take the series (Holy Cross, 2009 and Bentley, 2012).
 
The two teams will meet once again on Saturday night in game two of the AHA Quarterfinal series at 7:05 p.m. If game three is necessary, it will take place on Sunday at 7:05 p.m.