ROCHESTER, NY – Adam Brubacher (Elmira, Ontario/Powell River Kings) scored a power-play goal with 3:52 left in overtime, lifting the RIT men's hockey team (12-18-1, 12-13-0 Atlantic Hockey) to a 2-1 win over visiting Holy Cross (13-11-6, 10-8-6 Atlantic Hockey) in front of 2,705 fans at the Gene Polisseni Center on Saturday night.

The Tigers were awarded a power-play 51 seconds into overtime and went to work in the Crusaders zone after Myles Powell (Courtenay, British Columbia/Cowichan Valley Capitals) won an offensive zone faceoff. Powell would eventually get the puck to Liam Kerins (Caledon, Ontario/North York Rangers) at the point. Kerins calmly fed a pass to Brubacher, who unleashed a wicked one-timer from just behind the right faceoff circle over the shoulder of Berrafato for his sixth goal of the season and first overtime winner of his collegiate career.

Erik Brown (Keene, Ontario/Kemptville 73's) scored a first period power-play goal for the Tigers. Kerins assisted on both RIT goals, while Brubacher had a goal and an assist. RIT improved to 2-0-1 in overtime this season.

RIT goaltender Mike Rotolo (Rochester, NY/Cedar Rapids Roughriders) was brilliant between the pipes, stopping 27 of 28 shots for his 12th victory of the season.

Michael Laffin scored the lone goal for Holy Cross, while Berrafato made 21 saves.

Holy Cross out-shot RIT, 28-23. The Tigers scored a pair of goals on three chances with the man-advantage, while holding the Crusaders scoreless on six power-play chances. RIT's penalty-killing unit was very impressive in the second period, killing off four power-play attempts, including two minutes of a 5-on-3.

"It was a tough, hard-fought game and we overcame adversity, which we haven't done a good job of lately," said RIT head coach Wayne Wilson. "The 5-on-3 penalty kill at the end of the second period gave us a lot of momentum, and (Adam) Brubacher got his big shot off in overtime for us."

The win lifts RIT back into a tie for sixth place in the Atlantic Hockey standings with Mercyhurst. The Tigers have three regular season games remaining.

Both teams scored once and fired eight shots on goal in the opening period.

Powell had two excellent shorthanded chances on Holy Cross' first power-play chance of the night. First, he was denied by Berrafato in tight after taking a feed from Adam Brubacher (Elmira, Ontario/Powell River Kings) on a 3-on-1 rush. Right as the penalty was set to expire, Powell was attempting to break in all alone on Berrafato before being held by Spencer Trapp, drawing a penalty.

RIT got on the board first on the ensuing power-play, 9:04 into the game, as Brown deftly tipped a point shot from Kerins out of midair, and over the shoulder of Berrafato for his team-leading 15th goal of the season. The tipped puck spun 20 feet into the air before landing in behind Berrafato. Brubacher also assisted on RIT's power-play goal.

The Crusaders would tie the game just over four minutes later, as Laffin took the puck off of Rotolo's stick as the RIT goaltender tried to play a dump in behind the net and was able to wrap it in before Rotolo could get back for his seventh goal of the year.

RIT would threaten on a power-play to end the period, but could not get the puck past Berrafato.

RIT's penalty-killing would be forced to come up big in the second period, killing off all four Holy Cross power-play attempts, including a full two minutes of 5-on-3 time to close out the frame.

Abbott Girduckis (Belleville, Ontario/Wellington Dukes) would have RIT's best chance of the period, getting a shorthanded breakaway from center ice. With a Crusaders defender closing in, Girduckis slipped a backhander just wide.

Rotolo would be forced to come up with a pair of big saves on a power-play later in the frame, robbing Laffin on the doorstep and Scott Pooley from the slot to keep the game tied at 1-1.

With 2:01 left in the period, RIT was whistled for a too many men on the ice penalty and unsportsmanlike conduct infraction, resulting in a full two minute 5-on-3 for the Crusaders. RIT's penalty-killing unit and Rotolo did a masterful job of keeping everything on the perimeter. Rotolo was called upon to make four saves during the two-man advantage.

The defenses clamped down in the third period, allowing very little in the way of quality chances.

Holy Cross took game one of the weekend series last night, 4-0. Berrafato made 27 saves in the shutout. The Tigers lead the all-time series between the two schools, 25-13-7.

Several alumni from RIT's storied past were in town for tonight's game, also having played an alumni game at the Polisseni Center earlier in the afternoon.

RIT plays its final two home games of the regular season next weekend, as Atlantic Hockey rival Air Force comes to town. Both Friday and Saturday's contests from the Polisseni Center get underway at 7:05 p.m.