WALTHAM, MA – The RIT men's hockey team (10-8-3, 8-6-3 AHA) rallied from a 2-0 deficit to earn a hard-fought 2-2 tie against Bentley University (7-11-3, 6-7-3 AHA) Friday night at Bentley Area. RIT extended its unbeaten streak to six games (4-0-2) with the tie.
 
Sophomore Jake Hamacher (Corona, CA/Dubuque Fighting Saints) and freshman Kobe Walker (Lloydminster, Alberta/Lloydminster Bobcats) each had a goal in the draw. Zach Salloum (Orleans, Ontario/Ottawa Jr. Senators), Will Calverley (Scarborough, Ontario/Chilliwack Chiefs) and Darren Brady (Lake Orion, MI/New Jersey Titans) each tailed a helper for the Tigers. Logan Drackett (Calgary, Alberta/Calgary Canucks) had another strong showing in net, making 30 saves in the tie. He has played in 20 of RIT's 21 games this season.
 
Brendan Hamblet and Jonathan Desbiens both scored in the first five minutes of play for Bentley. Desbiens added an assist  for a two-point night. Aidan Pelino made 24 saves in net for the Falcons. 

Bentley out-shot RIT, 32-26. The Falcons were 1-for-2 on the power-play, while RIT was 0-for-2.

"I was disappointed with our first eight minutes, but proud of we responded and played the rest of the way," said RIT head coach Wayne Wilson. "I like how we battled back on the road and hope we can carry that into tomorrow night."
 
RIT started out slow in their first game in the newly opened Bentley Area. The Falcons jumped on RIT's slow start, scoring two goals in 1:05 to take a quick 2-0 lead. Hamblet scored in 4:15 into the game, getting behind the defense in front and converting on a feed from Desbiens. The Falcons would get a power-play shortly thereafter and scored just a 1:06 later, as Desbiens put in his own rebound from the side of net.
 
The Tigers would pick up the intensity in the second period. Drackett put the two goals behind him and was a brick wall in the second period making a number of incredible saves including a key stop on a breakaway five minutes into the second period. RIT would get on the board at 7:15 mark. Calverley sent a pass to Salloum at the right point. Salloum fired a slap shot that Pelino stopped, but Walker was right there in front to clean up the rebound and get RIT on the board.
 
Drackett made a handful of saves in the third period, including a dazzling glove save on a point-blank chance in front from Jake Kauppila.

The Tigers tied the game 2:59 into the third period, as Gabe Valenzuela (Brampton, Ontario/North York Rangers) caused a turnover with a nice hit in the Bentley zone, allowing the puck to come to Brady. Brady fired a quick pass to Hamacher, who fired a shot towards the net that bounced off a the stick of a Bentley defenseman and past Pelino for his seventh goal of the year.
 
In overtime, Bentley had an early opportunity by Desbiens. Desbiens took the puck down and cut in front of the goal but Drackett kept the score intact with a kick save. In the final seconds of the game, Erik Brown (Keene, Ontario/Kemptville 73's) came in on a 2-on-1 and fired a shot that went off the post and out.

RIT leads the all-time series between the two schools 21-15-3. The Tigers are unbeaten in their last six games on the road at Bentley, five at the John A. Ryan Skating Center and one at Bentley Arena.
 
The Tigers and Falcons wrap up their regular season series on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. from Bentley Area.