SPRINGFIELD, MA – RIT men's hockey team (10-12-1, 10-7-0 Atlantic Hockey) rallied from a 3-1 third period deficit to tie, but eventually fell to American International (5-12-6, 4-8-5 Atlantic Hockey) 5-3 at the MassMutual Center on Saturday afternoon.
 
RIT trailed 2-1 heading into the third period, and fell behind 3-1 just 1:28 in, as Marc Dubeau walked around a RIT defender and beat goaltender Mike Rotolo (Rochester, NY/Cedar Rapids Roughriders) over the shoulder on the short side.
 
The Tigers would battle back, scoring twice in a span of 5:20 to tie the game at 3-3. Just 34 seconds after Dubeau's goal, Chase Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers) fired in a one-timer from Adam Brubacher (Elmira, Ontario/Powell River Kings) to cut the lead to 3-2. With 12:38 left, Darren Brady (Lake Orion, MI/New Jersey Titans) ripped a shot from the slot off a feed from Erik Brown (Keene, Ontario/Kemptville 73's) past AIC goaltender Zacharias Skog to tie the game at 3-3.
 
The Tigers, who did not take a penalty over the first 50 minutes of the game, were whistled for three minors over the final 10 minutes. The Yellowjackets would make RIT pay, breaking the tie as Martin Mellberg deflected in a shot from Patrik Demel with 4:01 left on the power-play. AIC would put the game away on another power-play with 1:50 left, as Blake Christiansen one-timed a feed from Demel past Rotolo.
 
RIT out-shot AIC, 41-28. The Yellowjackets were 2-for-3 with the power-play, while RIT was 0-for-2.
 
Ryan Kruper (Sherwood Park, Alberta/Sherwood Park Crusaders) and Brady had a goal and assist apiece for the Tigers, while Chase Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers) also scored. In net, Rotolo made 23 saves.
 
Demel and Mellberg had a goal and two assists apiece to lead the Yellowjackets. Skog made 38 saves for the win.
 
"We got off to a great start, especially over the first 10 minutes, but took our foot off the gas and let them get back into the game," said RIT head coach Wayne Wilson. "When AIC fought back, we backed off and did not compete the way we are capable of. We need to be much better."
 
RIT came out flying over the first 15 minutes, firing 20 shots on goal en route to 22 for the period, but the two teams were tied 1-1 after the opening frame. The Tigers had several great chances over the first half of the period, but could not convert.

Kruper scored his fifth goal of the season just before the halfway point of the period, tipping in a point shot by Brady for his fifth goal of the season. Shawn Cameron (Sherbrooke, Quebec/Cumberland Grads) also assisted on the goal.
 
Moments later, Kruper duplicated the feat, tipping in a shot by Chris McKay (Edmonton, Alberta/Sherwood Park Crusaders), but it was ruled that he did so with a high stick. Video replays confirmed the call in the ice and it remained 1-0.
 
The Yellowjackets would knot the game at 1-1 with 1:37 left in the opening period, as a point shot by Demel found its way through a maze of bodies in front and past a screened Rotolo for his first collegiate goal.
 
American International would score the only goal of the second period, as Pike would tip in a point shot by Andrew DeBrincat past Rotolo for his second goal of the season. The goal was reviewed for a possible high stick on the tip, but was ruled good.
 
Last night, Rotolo stopped all 18 shots he faced for his fifth career shutout, while surpassing the 2,000-save plateau and Brown scored twice in a 5-0 win for the Tigers.

RIT leads the all-time series between the two schools, 29-5-3.
 
The Tigers are right back in action next weekend with a home-and-home series against Atlantic Hockey foe Canisius. Friday's game from the Gene Polisseni Center begins at 7:05 p.m., while Saturdays contest from the HARBORCENTER in Buffalo starts at 7:35 p.m.