NEW HAVEN, CT – Despite a valiant effort, the RIT men's hockey team (4-8-2) fell to host Yale (5-2-2), in front of 3,234 fans at historic Ingalls Rink on Saturday evening.

RIT head coach Wayne Wilson went against his son Stu, a junior forward for the Bulldogs. Stu did not figure in the scoring, but had three shots on goal.

John Hayden scored in the final minute of the first period, while Rob O'Gara scored late in the second for Yale. RIT was strong in the third, out-shooting Yale 10-7 and creating several good scoring chances, but they could not beat goaltender Patrick Spano, who stopped all 21 shots he faced. Spano was named the game's first star.

Yale out-shot RIT, 31-21 overall, including 24-11 in the first two periods. Both teams were 0-for-3 on the power-play. RIT goaltender Mike Rotolo (Rochester, NY/Cedar Rapids Roughriders) was named the game's third star, making 29 saves, including a handful from point-blank range.

"I thought we were timid at times, especially in the first two periods, but I thought we played the way we are capable of in the third," said RIT head coach Wayne Wilson. "We need to play with confidence, strength, and assertiveness. We are very close to getting where we want to be."

RIT had to kill off three Yale power-plays before the game was 10 minutes old and did just that, with Rotolo on his game early on, stopping Wilson on a deflection in front and then on a shot from the slot.

Brady Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers) had a great chance, moments later, as RIT's fourth line of Garrett McMullen (Churchville, NY/Trail Smoke Eaters), Myles Powell (Courtenay, British Columbia/Cowichan Valley Capitals), and Mark Golberg (Ottawa, Ontario/Cumberland Grads) did a great job pressuring the Yale defense and causing a turnover in the Bulldogs zone. McMullen fed Norrish who was cutting the net with a shot stopped by Spano.

Rotolo made a sensational glove save late in the first period to rob Frank DiChiara of a sure goal off a scramble in front. DiChiara looked to have the left side of the net wide open, but the quick glove by Rotolo kept it scoreless.

Yale scored the lone goal in the opening period with just 37 seconds left, as Hayden fired a shot from the right side that ricocheted off a RIT forward going to block the shot and knuckled past the blocker of Rotolo for the goal.

The Tigers generated some good chances in the second, but could not get the tying goal. Caleb Cameron (Sunridge, Ontario/Listowel Cyclones) fired a good hard shot from the high slot that Spano looked behind for, but deflected into the corner. Moments later on the power-play, Dan Schuler (Webster, NY/Powell River Kings), playing in his first game of the season, deflected a high point shot from in front just wide. Josh Mitchell (Osoyoos, British Columbia/Alberni Valley Bulldogs) found himself wide open in front on a power-play, but could not get the shot off.

Yale would make it 2-0 with 3:06 left in the second, as Carson Cooper won a faceoff to Charles Orzetti, who then fed O'Gara at the point. O'Gara's low shot made its way through traffic and through the pads of Rotolo.

RIT kept coming in the third period, with countless chances, but Spano kept them all out for his first collegiate shutout. His best save came on a tip attempt by Todd Skirving (Thunder Bay, Ontario/Sioux Falls Stampede). Danny Smith (Edmonton, Alberta/Sherwood Park Crusaders) had a good chance from in close stuffed by Spano, while on the same shift, Brandon Thompson (Vancouver, British Columbia/Handsworth) hit the post on a bad angle shot.

"I like where we are headed (as a team)," said Wilson. "Our big key will be consistency."

The younger Wilson helped Yale win the 2013 NCAA Division I NCAA Championship as a freshman. They are the only father-son duo win national championships as players. Wayne Wilson was a senior captain, leading Bowling Green State University to the 1984 NCAA Division I National Championship.

Tonight's contest was the first ever meeting between the two schools. It was the first time RIT was shutout this season and first overall since Jan. 24, 2014 at Niagara.

RIT is off next weekend and wraps up the 2014 calendar year with a home-and-home series against Atlantic Hockey rival Niagara on Dec. 12-13. The Tigers are home at the Gene Polisseni Center for a 7:05 start on Dec. 12 and go out to Niagara the following evening.