WEST POINT, NY – Senior Dan Schuler (Webster, NY/Powell River Kings) tied a career-high with three points on a goal and two assists, while junior goaltender Mike Rotolo (Rochester, NY/Cedar Rapids Roughriders) stopped all 25 shots he faced for his fourth career shutout, as the RIT men's hockey team (3-4-1, 3-0-0 AHC) won its third straight game, 4-0 over host Army West Point (0-5-1, 0-4-1 AHC) at Tate Rink on Friday evening.
 
Schuler combined with linemates Gabe Valenzuela (Brampton, Ontario/North York Rangers) and Erik Brown (Keene, Ontario/Kemptville 73's) to score three of the four RIT goals, all in the second period. Brown's goal was the first of his collegiate career. Greg Amlong (O'Fallon, MO/UMass Lowell) added a third period goal to conclude the scoring. All three of Schuler's points came in the second period.
 
Rotolo was strong in net, making six first period saves, nine second period stops, and 10 in the final period to win his second straight decision and earn his first shutout of the year.
 
Army West Point goaltender Cole Bruns made 27 saves.
 
RIT out-shot Army West Point, 31-25. RIT was 1-for-5 with the man-advantage, while holding the Black Knights scoreless in five power-play attempts.
 
"That was a good solid road win, as we kept grinding it out tonight," said RIT head coach Wayne Wilson. "It was good to see the blue line (Schuler, Valenzuela, Brown) get rewarded tonight. Our defense was very solid and Mike (Rotolo) made some key saves."
 
Neither team scored in a quickly played first period in which RIT held a 10-6 edge in shots. Both teams had a few solid chances, but Rotolo and Bruns were both up to the task. Rotolo's best save came midway through the period, as he robbed C.J, Reuschlein on a point-blank shot from the slot on a rush. Todd Skirving (Thunder Bay, Ontario/Sioux Falls Stampede) had a great chance on a 3-on-2 rush, but was denied by Bruns.
 
The Tigers took over in the second period, scoring three times to take a commanding 3-0 lead.
 
Valenzuela picked up his third goal of the season 4:16 into the second period, taking a feed from Schuler in the neutral zone, zooming into the Army zone and from the left face-off circle, fired a shot to the far side past Bruns to make it 1-0. Alexander Kuqali (Pittsburgh, PA/Sioux City Musketeers) also assisted on the goal.
 
Brown scored his first collegiate goal in an odd manner, as his shot from a bad angle from the left side on the rush was originally signaled no goal, as the puck bounced out off the post and play continued on. After a video review, it was determined that the puck did indeed cross the goal line to make it 2-0 with 8:21 left in the period. Schuler chipped a pass to Brown in the neutral zone and the freshman forward did the rest, beating Bruns between the legs.
 
Rotolo made a great save on an odd-man rush against by Nash Worden late in the period to keep it a 2-0 lead.
 
RIT would get a power-play with just 10 seconds left in the period and right off a face-off win by Valenzuela, Schuler would deftly redirect a point shot by Brady Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers) after a feed from Josh Mitchell (Osoyoos, British Columbia/Alberni Valley Bulldogs) with three seconds left from in close off the right post and past Bruns for his second goal of the season to make it 3-0.
 
The Tigers played a strong defensive third period and with 7:47 left in regulation, Amlong took a feed from Mark Golberg (Ottawa, Ontario/Cumberland Grads) from behind the net and wired a hard slap shot from the slot past Bruns for his team best fourth goal of the year. Matt Abt (Leduc, Alberta/Whitecourt Wolverines ) also assisted on the goal.
 
RIT leads the all-time series between the two schools, 15-3-5. The two teams split the season series 1-1 last year at the Gene Polisseni Center. Before the loss last season, the Tigers had a 15-game unbeaten streak against Army West Point dating back to the 2008-09 season.
 
The two teams conclude their regular season series on Saturday from Tate Rink, once again at 7:05 p.m.