NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – The RIT men's hockey team (8-8-1, 7-4-0 Atlantic Hockey) led 3-0 before host Niagara University (10-9-1, 9-4-1 Atlantic Hockey) scored four unanswered goals over a 16-minute stretch in the second and third periods to stun the Tigers, 4-3 at Dwyer Arena on Friday night.
 
Gabe Valenzuela (Brampton, Ontario/North York Rangers) scored a first period power-play goal, while Ryan Kruper (Sherwood Park, Alberta/Sherwood Park Crusaders) and Jake Hamacher (Corona, CA/Dubuque Fighting Saints) scored second period goals to put the Tigers up 3-0.
 
Niagara responded with goals by Derian Plouffe and Ben Sokay 43 seconds apart late in the second period to cut it to 3-2 before Chris Harpur and Plouffe scored power-play goals in the third period to lift Niagara to the win. Plouffe's game-winner, his second goal of the game, came with 4:58 left in regulation.
 
The Tigers out-shot Niagara, 24-20. The Purple Eagles were 2-for-6 on the power-play, while RIT was 1-for-6.
 
Brian Wilson earned the win in net for the Purple Eagles, stopping 21 shots. Christian Short (Vaughan, Ontario/Surrey Eagles) took the loss for RIT, with 16 saves.
 
"We were in control for nearly two periods, let them back into the game and got what we deserved," said RIT head coach Wayne Wilson. "We played soft in the third period and Niagara took advantage."
 
RIT would score the only goal in the opening period, as both teams fired eight shots on net.
 
Valenzuela opened the scoring 6:25 into the game on the power-play, redirecting a perfect hard pass from Adam Brubacher (Elmira, Ontario/Powell River Kings) over the shoulder of Wilson for his sixth goal of the season. Myles Powell (Courtenay, British Columbia/Cowichan Valley Capitals) chipped a pass to Brubacher at the left point. Brubacher wound up to shoot and saw Valenzuela coming out of the right corner, sending him a perfect pass through the seam for the tip-in.
 
RIT kept attacking and had several other chances to extend its lead. Erik Brown (Keene, Ontario/Kemptville 73's) spun out of the corner on a different power-play and made a powerful move towards the net, but was denied by Wilson. Later in the period, Hamacher whistled a backhand just wide on a shorthanded breakaway and was denied by Wilson on a point-blank attempt on the rush.
 
The Tigers dominated play for the first 18 minutes of the second period, holding Niagara with a shot for the first 12 minutes, while scoring twice to gain a 3-0 lead. The Purple Eagles would score twice in a 43 second span late in the period to make it a 3-2 lead after 40 minutes.
 
Kruper would give RIT a 2-0 lead with a highlight-reel goal 3:53 into the second period, taking a feed from Jordan Peacock (Burlington, Ontario/Burlington Cougars) in the neutral zone and slipping through a defender before roofing a backhand over the shoulder of Wilson for his third goal of the season. Darren Brady (Lake Orion, MI/New Jersey Titans) also assisted on the goal.
 
Hamacher made it 3-0 Tigers with 4:35 left in the frame, taking a long stretch pass from Mark Logan (Calgary, Alberta/Brooks Bandits), coming into the Niagara zone a rifling a wrist shot from the left circle past Wilson to the far post for his third goal of the year.
 
The Purple Eagles took advantage of a pair of defensive breakdowns, scoring twice in 43 seconds late in the second period to cut the RIT lead to 3-2. With 1:10 left in the period, Plouffe scored from the slot on a 2-on-1 to make it 3-1. Seconds later, Sokay would come in on a 2-on-1 rush of his own and beat Short to make it 3-2.
 
Niagara would knot the game at 3-3 on the power-play 3:18 into the third period, as Harpur fired a shot through traffic off the post and in for his first goal of the season.
 
RIT would receive a tremendous opportunity to go back up in front with just over 15 minutes left with a two minute 5-on-3 power-play. The Tigers generated a handful of chances, including one by Valenzuela from the side of the net, but could not get the go-ahead goal.
 
The Purple Eagles would score their second power-play goal of the period with 4:58 left, as Plouffe jammed in a loose puck just before the RIT net became dislodged. RIT challenged that the net was off before the puck went in, but the call on the ice stood.
 
RIT pulled Short for the extra attacker in the final minute and generated a couple of good chances. Erik Brown (Keene, Ontario/Kemptville 73's) had a look in the final seconds, but could not corral the loose puck in close as time expired.
 
Niagara leads the all-time series between the two schools, 18-10-2, including a 16-8-10 edge since RIT moved to Division I in 2005. The Tigers had their six-game unbeaten streak at Dwyer Arena snapped tonight with the loss.
 
RIT and Niagara wrap up the regular season on Saturday night from Dwyer Arena at 7:05 p.m. The Tigers return home Jan. 12-13 to face Air Force Academy from the Gene Polisseni Center. Both games get underway at 7:05 p.m.