ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT men's hockey team (4-6-2, 3-4-2 AHC) extended its unbeaten streak to three games, rolling to a dominant, 5-1 win over Sacred Heart (4-6-2, 3-4-2 AHC) at the Gene Polisseni Center on Friday evening.
 
RIT's top line of Matt Garbowsky (St. George, Ontario/Powell River Kings), Brad McGowan (Langley, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles), and Josh Mitchell (Osoyoos, British Columbia/Alberni Valley Bulldogs) were once again dominant, combining for four goals, five assists, and nine points. Garbowsky, playing in his 100th career game, equaled a career-high with four points on two goals and two assists, while McGowan tied his career-best with three points on a goal and two helpers. Mitchell scored his team-leading third power-play goal and added an assist.
 
Garbowsky, the reigning Atlantic Hockey Conference Player of the Week is enjoying an incredible run, with eight goals over a five-game goal-scoring streak and nine points (6-3-9) over his last three games. Garbowsky has a 10-game point-scoring streak (11-7-18), one shy of RIT's Division I record of 11, held by Simon Lambert (2007-08) and Andrew Favot (2008-09). He currently leads all of Division I with 11 goals and 19 points this season.
 
In goal, AHC Goaltender of the Week Jordan Ruby (Tavistock, Ontario/Wellington Dukes) made his sixth straight start and was strong, stopping 25-of-26 shots, earning third star honors.
 
The Tigers were in control from the opening faceoff, creating countless opportunities in out-shooting the Pioneers, 38-26 on the evening. RIT's special teams shined, scoring a pair of shorthanded goals and its first power-play goal in the last seven games. Danny Smith (Edmonton, Alberta/Sherwood Park Crusaders) and McGowan tallied the shorthanded goals
 
The last time RIT scored two shorthanded goals in a game came against Mercyhurst on Dec. 12, 2008.
 
"We were very good tonight in all facets," said RIT head coach Wayne Wilson. "Our penalty killing has been good all year and were rewarded tonight and the power-play has been creating chances. Overall, we are getting pucks to the net and getting good chances."
 
Ben Lake scored Sacred Heart's lone goal with 1:29 left in the second period. In goal, Andrew Bodnarchuk made several outstanding saves, finishing the evening with 33 on 38 shots.
 
RIT extended its unbeaten streak against Sacred Heart to 10 games (9-0-1) and is 17-4-0 all-time against the Pioneers. The Tigers are out-scoring Sacred Heart, 49-13 over the 10-game unbeaten streak.
 
The Tigers had several good chances right from the opening face-off in the first period. Bodnarchuk robbed McGowan on the opening shift, while Andrew Miller (Chicago, IL/Chicago Steel) had a good chance from the slot gobbled up by the Sacred Heart goaltender.
 
The Tigers struck first with 15 seconds left in the opening period, as Mitchell took advantage of a Sacred Heart giveaway behind the net and quickly fired a pass out front to Garbowsky, streaking towards the goal. Garbowsky made no mistake, one-timing the pass over the shoulder of Bodnarchuk for his 10th goal of the season.
 
Right after, the fans unleashed several hundred teddy bears from the stands onto the ice, as tonight was RIT's Teddy Bear toss. All the teddy bears will be donated to Rochester General Hospital's Child Life Services Program.
 
Just 2:23 into the second period, RIT upped its lead to 2-0 on Smith's shorthanded goal. The puck was dumped into the left corner, with Bodnarchuk coming out of the net to play the puck. Garbowsky quickly tipped Bodnarchuk's clearing attempt right to Smith at the left wing boards. With Bodnarchuk hopelessly out of position, Smith had an open net, but partially fanned on the shot. Fortunately for RIT, a Sacred Heart defenseman dove to block the shot slid right past the puck, as it glided into the open net. The goal was Smith's third of the season and first collegiate shorthanded goal.
 
Garbowsky added his second goal of the night and 11th of the season at the 11:46 mark, while the two teams were skating 4-on-4. McGowan forced a turnover at the red line and Chase Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers) fired a perfect pass to Garbowsky, who was barely onside, springing him on a breakaway. Garbowsky fired a shot from the right face-off circle past Bodnarchuk to make it 3-0.
 
Sacred Heart would get one back with 1:29 left in the period, right after RIT had two golden chances to go up 4-0. Drew George came through the neutral zone with a lot of speed and fed Lake, who was able to get behind the RIT defense and beat Ruby from in close.
 
Just five seconds into a power-play early in the third, RIT put the game away. Garbowsky won the draw cleanly to McGowan, who fired a shot from the slot that Bodnarchuk stopped, but Mitchell was right there on the doorstep to tap home the rebound and make it 4-1.
 
McGowan completed the scoring, shorthanded with 11:42 left, collecting a pass from Greg Amlong (O'Fallon, MO/UMass Lowell) in his own zone and coming in with Brandon Thompson (Vancouver, British Columbia/Handsworth) on a 2-on-1. McGowan fed Thompson on the left wing, who then gave the pass right back to McGowan. McGowan quickly one-timed the pass past Bodnarchuk for his fifth goal of the year.

The assist was Amlong's first point as a Tiger. Amlong and defensive partner Matt Abt (Leduc, Alberta/Whitecourt Wolverines ) were both plus-3 on the evening.
 
The two teams close out the weekend series on Saturday night from the Gene Polisseni Center; once again at 7:05 p.m. RIT travels to Sacred Heart for a pair of games on Jan. 16-17, 2015.
 
"We don't want to come out flat tomorrow," said Wilson. "We are aiming to be even better tomorrow night."