ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT men's hockey team (5-10-4, 4-5-4 AHC) let three separate leads slip away, skating to a 3-3 draw against Atlantic Hockey Conference foe American International College (3-13-5, 3-7-5 AHC) in front of 2,182 fans at the Gene Polisseni Center on Friday evening.

RIT looked to be in control late, as Josh Mitchell (Osoyoos, British Columbia/Alberni Valley Bulldogs) scored his sixth goal of the season with 7:32 left in the third period to give RIT a 3-2 lead.

With the goaltender pulled for the extra attacker, American International's Austin Orszulak tied the game with a blast from the right circle with 6.8 seconds left in regulation on a 6-on-4 sequence, sending the game to overtime.

In the overtime, it was all RIT, as they peppered the Yellow Jackets net, but goaltender Alex Murray and the defense somehow kept the puck out. RIT was awarded a power-play in the opening seconds, but failed to score. At the tail end of the power-play, Alex Perron-Fontaine (St. Mathieu de Beloeil, Quebec/Chilliwack Chiefs) whistled a wrost shot from the point through traffic and past Murray, but off the crossbar and out of play.

With 50 seconds left, Chase Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers) fired a shot that was blocked, with the rebound coming to Brad McGowan (Langley, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) in front. Murray made one bog save there and then robbed Josh Mitchell (Osoyoos, British Columbia/Alberni Valley Bulldogs) with the pad on the ensuing rebound. The puck was loose in front as Matt Garbowsky (St. George, Ontario/Powell River Kings) gathered it with what looked to be an open net, but Andrew Debrincat dove to block the shot in the crease, keeping the game tied at 3-3.

Caleb Cameron (Sunridge, Ontario/Listowel Cyclones), McGowan, and Mitchell scored for RIT, while Alexander Kuqali (Pittsburgh, PA/Sioux City Musketeers) and Garbowsky had two assists apiece. Goaltender Jordan Ruby (Tavistock, Ontario/Wellington Dukes) made 21 saves.

Jason Popek, Matt Cassidy, and Orszulak scored for the Yellow Jackets. In goal, Alex Murray was sensational, stopping 42 shots, including several in spectacular fashion to earn the game's first star.

American International scored two power-play goals in four chances, while RIT was 1-for-5. RIT out-shot the Yellow Jackets, 45-24, but struggled to solve Murray all evening.

"I was disappointed in our effort over the first two periods, we were very sloppy, but I liked how we played in the third period," said RIT head coach Wayne Wilson. "We have to find a way to protect that late lead. Tomorrow night is a crucial two points for us."

Both teams scored once in an evenly played first period in which RIT held an 11-10 edge in shots.

Cameron got RIT on the board at the 5:03 mark, deftly tipping in a point shot from Kuqali for his fifth goal of the season, making it 1-0 Tigers. Cameron stole the puck behind the Yellow Jackets net and dished it to Dan Schuler (Webster, NY/Powell River Kings), who found Kuqali at the point. Parked right in front of the net, Cameron deflected the thigh high shot down past Murray.

Just 2:39 later American International would get the goal right back on a power-play, as Popek was able to pop out from the side boards, cut to the high slot and rip a perfectly placed wrist shot off the crossbar and past Ruby for his third goal of the year.

Ruby would make a huge save later in the period on Cassidy, who had snuck behind the RIT defense in front. Murray would stand tall on a flurry by RIT late in the period, robbing Andrew Miller (Chicago, IL/Chicago Steel) in the slot and Danny Smith (Edmonton, Alberta/Sherwood Park Crusaders) on the ensuing rebound.

RIT would take a 2-1 lead at the 3:47 mark of the second period on a 5-on-3 power-play, as McGowan would hammer a rebound from the slot past Murray for his sixth goal of the season. Kuqali fed McGowan in the high slot with the initial shot going wide. Garbowsky tried to stuff in the rebound, but Murray made the save. That rebound kicked out to McGowan, who had the open net.

Cameron nearly made it 3-1 Tigers moments later on a rebound attempt off a shot from Schuler, but Murray made a great save to keep it a one-goal game.

The Yellow Jackets would tie the game at the 11:37 mark, as David Gandara forced a turnover inside the RIT blue line and quickly flipped a pass to Cassidy, who wired a shot past Ruby from the left circle just inside the right post for his third goal of the year.

The Tigers kept pressing, as Garbowsky had a golden chance on a rebound in front on a RIT power-play later in the period, but shoveled the puck just wide.

RIT dominated the third period, out-shooting American International 16-8. Murray had to make an incredible save on Smith to keep the game tied. He then robbed Cameron on a great chance in front.

With 7:32 left, Garbowsky caused a turnover in the Yellow Jackets corner and fed Chase Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers), coming up the slot. Norrish fired a hard shot that Murray stopped, but Mitchell was on the doorstep for the rebound, giving RIT its third lead of the game.

RIT is 24-3-3 all-time against the Yellow Jackets, including a 21-3-2 mark since the 2005-06 season. The Tigers now have an 11-game unbeaten streak against American International dating back to the 2011-12 season. RIT was 15-1-1 all-time against American International at Ritter Arena.

The two teams wrap up the regular season series on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m.