Men's Hockey | 1/31/2014 10:04:00 PM

Box Score

ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT men's hockey team (8-13-4, 7-9-3 AHA) rallied from three different one-goal deficits to earn a 3-3 tie against Atlantic Hockey Association foe Holy Cross (6-16-4, 5-10-4) in front of 1,576 fans at Ritter Arena on Friday evening. RIT maintains a three-point lead on Holy Cross for eighth in the AHA standings, as the two teams combined for 80 shots on goal in a fast-paced contest.

Senior forward Mike Colavecchia (Maple, Ontario/Lindsay Muskies) scored a power-play goal with 13:36 remaining in regulation to tie the game at 3-3. From there, both teams had chances down the stretch, but were unable to break the deadlock. In overtime, RIT's Josh Mitchell (Osoyoos, British Columbia/Alberni Valley Bulldogs) took a feed from Colavecchia and faked a shot on Holy Cross goaltender Matt Ginn, leaving him out of position. Mitchell tried to beat Ginn to the far post with a wrap around attempt, but the puck was knocked away by a Crusaders defender.

Holy Cross out-shot RIT, 42-38. Colavecchia, Dan Schuler (Webster, NY/Powell River Kings), and Todd Skirving (Thunder Bay, Ontario/Sioux Falls Stampede) scored the RIT goals. Schuler added an assist and was named the game's first star, while Brad McGowan (Langley, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles), playing in his 100th collegiate game and second star Nolan Descoteaux (Dallas, TX/South Shore Kings) dished out a pair of assists apiece.

Logan Smith, Sean Gustin, and Rochester native Shayne Stockton scored for the Crusaders. Stockton was named the game's third star.

RIT's special teams were excellent on the evening, going 2-for-4 on the power-play, while holding the Crusaders scoreless on all five of its attempts with the man-advantage.

Both goaltenders played well at times. RIT goaltender Mike Rotolo (Rochester, NY/Cedar Rapids Roughriders) made a career-best 39 saves, staying undefeated on Ritter Arena ice, at 3-0-1 this season. Overall, he is 5-3-2. Holy Cross goaltender Matt Ginn, who entered the game as the Division I leader in saves this season, added 35 more.

"I thought we battled to when down to get the tie, and had chances to win the game," said RIT head coach Wayne Wilson. "Tonight's tie makes tomorrow's game that much more important. Obviously, we would like to peak at the right time heading into the postseason and we have time to do that."

The two teams combined for four goals and 29 shots in a back and forth opening period of play.

Just 4:11 into the contest, Smithl scored a controversial goal, driving to the net and having the rebound of Matt Vidal's go off Rotolo and Smith's skate for his third tally of the season. Replays showed that Smith may have kicked the puck in, but it was not ruled a distinct kicking motion, thus a good goal.

RIT used hard work behind the Holy Cross net to tie the game at 1-1 at the 13:40 mark, as Caleb Cameron (Sunridge, Ontario/Listowel Cyclones) and McGowan worked the cycle down low. McGowan fed Schuler who was alone in front and the sophomore forward beat Ginn from in tight for his 10th tally of the season.

Just 1:21 later, Tommy Dwyer would cause a turnover, allowing Jake Youso to go to the net with Gustin on a 2-on-1. Youso threaded a pass to Gustin, who was easily able to beat Rotolo from the doorstep.

RIT would knot the game at 2-2 with 33 seconds left in the period on the power-play, as Skirving jammed in a shot from the right side of the net through the pads of Ginn for his sixth goal of the season. Schuler won the face-off back to Nolan Descoteaux (Dallas, TX/South Shore Kings) at the right point, who fed McGowan at the right half wall. McGowan would get the puck down to Skirving, who would get the goal.

Holy Cross would score the only goal in the second period of play.

Rotolo came up with a pair of big saves on a Holy Cross power-play midway through the frame.

The Crusaders would take the lead at the 12:36 mark, as Stockton would corral an errant pass at his own blue line, come streaking into the Tigers zone and fired a hard wrist shot off both posts and in, over the shoulder of Rotolo for his fourth tally of the season.
Ginn made his best save of the period on Schuler, who broke in on a 2-on-1. Schuler wired a slap shot from the right face-off circle that Ginn snared out of mid air.

Colavecchia would fire a rocket through traffic from the right face-off circle past Ginn for his 11th goal of the season and eighth with the man-advantage with 13:36 left in regulation to tie the contest at 3-3. Schuler would dig the puck out of the corner and find Colavecchia, who fed Descoteaux at the point. Descoteaux would walk the line for a few seconds, allowing Colavecchia to get in position for the one-timer. Colavecchia's shot would beat Ginn to the far side for the game-tying goal.

The Tigers are 22-7-4 all-time against Holy Cross, 18-2-4 at the Division I level. Last season, the Tigers went 0-1-1 against Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., falling 7-3 and skating to a 3-3 draw. The Tigers are 12-1-1 against Holy Cross at Ritter Arena in the Division I era

RIT and Holy Cross wrap up its regular season series on Saturday from Ritter Arena, once again at 7:05 p.m.