Men's Hockey | 1/3/2014 9:33:00 PM

Box Score

STORRS, CT – The RIT men's hockey team (6-8-3, 5-4-1 AHA) had its six-game unbeaten streak snapped, falling on the road at the University of Connecticut (8-6-2, 6-3-1 AHA) 2-1 on Friday evening from the Freitas Ice Forum.

Despite not playing in 20 days, the Tigers generated several good chances throughout the evening, out-playing the Huskies for several stretches throughout. Unfortunately, RIT could not solve Connecticut goaltender Matt Grogan, who stopped 32-of-33 shots, including 13 in the third period.

Down 2-1 late in the final minute of the game, the Tigers pulled goaltender Mike Rotolo (Rochester, NY/Cedar Rapids Roughriders) for the extra attacker. RIT would keep the puck in the Connecticut zone for the entire minute, keeping the Huskies defense under siege, firing five shots, including a handful from close range, but Grogan turned them all aside to preserve the win.

Trevor Gerling and Shawn Pauly scored for the Huskies, while Garrett McMullen (Churchville, NY/Trail Smoke Eaters) scored his third goal of the season with 9:55 left for RIT.

After McMullen's goal, RIT ratcheted up the intensity and received a power-play with 5:12 left. RIT would get three shots on the advantage, including a chance from the slot by Greg Noyes (Lucan, Ontario/Salmon Arm Silverbacks) that Grogan got just enough of, as it sat inches from the goal line before getting swept away by the Connecticut defense.

Overall, RIT out-shot Connecticut, 33-21. There were just two penalties called in the game, a RIT team record for fewest combined in one contest.

RIT goaltender Mike Rotolo (Rochester, NY/Cedar Rapids Roughriders) suffered his first collegiate loss, stopping 19 of 21 shots. He started his collegiate career with a six-game unbeaten streak.

The Tigers are now 3-5-1 all-time at the Freitas Ice Forum.

"I thought played a very good first period and had two bad shifts in the second that cost us the first goal," said RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson. "We turned it on late in the third period, but it was too late. I thought in general we played pretty well, but needed to compete just a little harder on some loose pucks. Our backs are against the wall, we need the two points tomorrow."

The Tigers opened the game by playing one of its best defensive periods of the season, allowing just three harmless shots from the perimeter, while firing seven shots of their own.

RIT nearly opened the scoring a little more than two minutes into the contest, as Alex Perron-Fontaine (St. Mathieu de Beloeil, Quebec/Chilliwack Chiefs) threaded a perfect pass to Caleb Cameron (Sunridge, Ontario/Listowel Cyclones) on the doorstep on a 3-on-2 rush. The puck hopped on Cameron as he tried to deflect the pass into the open net, going just wide.

Later in the period, Alexander Kuqali (Pittsburgh, PA/Sioux City Musketeers) purposely threw a puck wide off the back boards from the left point, caroming right to McMullen at the right side of the net. McMullen tried to go short side, but Grogan was there to keep the game scoreless.

Connecticut scored the lone goal in a second period that each team dominated at times. The Tigers were all over the Huskies during the first half of the period, firing nine of the first 11 shots on goal. With 9:11 left in the period, Connecticut had just five shots on goal for the game. Connecticut would hold a distinct edge over the final half of the frame, out-shooting RIT 8-3.

Josh Mitchell (Osoyoos, British Columbia/Alberni Valley Bulldogs) had a tremendous chance early in the period, firing a point-blank shot from the slot just wide. Moments later, Danny Smith (Edmonton, Alberta/Sherwood Park Crusaders) had a great chance from nearly the same spot and put it wide. Cameron was robbed by Grogan on a 2-on-1.

A defensive breakdown by RIT would lead to Connecticut opening the scoring with 5:22 left in the period. Jordan Sims would take advantage of a RIT mistake, go around a defenseman and feed Gerling, who was cutting to the net. Gerling made no mistake, getting Rotolo to slide across, before sliding the puck past him for the goal.

Connecticut would take advantage of a bad RIT giveaway 3:44 into the third, as Pauly snapped a shot from in close past Rotolo off a feed from Brant Harris.

With 9:55 left, Josh Mitchell (Osoyoos, British Columbia/Alberni Valley Bulldogs) created a turnover behind the Connecticut net that came right to McMullen in front. McMullen calmly slid a shot between the legs of Grogan for his third goal of the year and third in his last two games.

RIT is 19-9-1 all-time against Connecticut, 14-7-1 in the Division I era.  RIT had won 11 of 12 against the Huskies from 2008 to 2011. Last season, the two teams split the season series 1-1 at Ritter Arena, with Connecticut winning 3-1 on Feb. 1, 2013 and RIT winning 7-1 the following evening.

The Tigers and Huskies complete their regular season series on Saturday from the Freitas Ice Forum at 4:05 p.m. It could potentially be the last meeting between the two schools as AHA foes, as Connecticut moves to Hockey East for the 2014-15 season.