WALTHAM, MA – The RIT men's hockey team (10-9-3, 8-7-3 AHA) had its six-game unbeaten streak snapped, falling to host Bentley University (8-11-3, 7-7-2 AHA) by a score of 5-2 from Bentley Arena Saturday night.
 
Luke Salerno, Cody DePourcq Jonathan Desbiens, Dylan Pitera and Brendan Hamblet scored for the Falcons, who extended their unbeaten streak to five games with the win. Goaltender Aidan Pelino made 24 saves for the Falcons.
 
Will Calverley (Scarborough, Ontario/Chilliwack Chiefs) and Adam Brubacher (Elmira, Ontario/Powell River Kings) scored third period goals for the Tigers, who lost for the first time since Dec. 8. Goaltender Logan Drackett (Calgary, Alberta/Calgary Canucks) made 17 saves.
 
RIT out-shot Bentley, 26-22. Both teams were 1-for-5 on the power-play.
 
"I thought Bentley worked a little harder and was a little more consistent than us tonight," said RIT head coach Wayne Wilson. "We weren't as sharp in some of the little things as in the last few games and that was the difference tonight. We will need to hit the reset button and get back in the win column next weekend."
 
RIT trailed 1-0 after one period of play, despite holding an 8-6 edge in shots. The Tigers had some good pressure early on, but were unable to solve Pelino. Erik Brown (Keene, Ontario/Kemptville 73's) had a great chance at the side of the net denied.
 
Santerno would put the Falcons on the board first on the power-play with 4:42 left in the opening period, firing in a loose puck from the slot off a face-off win by Drew Callin over the glove of Drackett for his seventh goal of the season.
 
The Falcons would extend their lead to 3-0 after two periods. At the 5:10 mark of the second period, DePourcq swatted in a loose puck at the side of the goal off a scramble in close to make it 2-0. Desbiens scored for the second straight night with 7:21 left from in close to extend the lead to 3-0.
 
RIT began the third period with a 5-on-3 for the first 1:07, but could not get on the board. Brown had one quality chance that Pelino got a piece of before rolling off the crossbar and top of the net before sliding out of danger.
 
Calverley would get the Tigers on the board 3:54 into the third period, converting a feed from Kobe Walker (Lloydminster, Alberta/Lloydminster Bobcats) in the slot and firing a wrist shot over the glove of Pelino for his fifth goal of the season. Darren Brady (Lake Orion, MI/New Jersey Titans) also assisted on the goal.
 
Brubacher cut the Falcons lead to 3-2 with 10:22 remaining in regulation on a 4-on-3 power-play, firing in a rocket of a one-timer from the high slot off a feed from Dan Willett (Bayville, NY/Bloomington Thunder) after Brown dug out a loose puck after face-off win by Gabe Valenzuela (Brampton, Ontario/North York Rangers). The goal was Brubacher's sixth of the season.
 
Pitera scored a key insurance goal for the Falcons with 4:32 left, firing in a shot from the left circle off a feed from Dylan Pitera to make it 4-2. RIT was awarded a power-play with just over two minutes remaining in regulation and pulled Drackett for the extra attacker, but could pull closer. Hamblet scored an empty-net shorthanded tally with 1:07 remaining to close out the scoring.
 
Last night, RIT rallied from a 2-0 deficit to tie Bentley, 2-2. Walker and Jake Hamacher (Corona, CA/Dubuque Fighting Saints) scored for RIT, while Drackett made 30 saves. RIT leads the all-time series between the two schools, 21-16-3.
 
The Tigers return home for consecutive home weekends, starting with a two-game series against Army West Point Jab. 25-26. Friday's game begins at 7:05 p.m., while Saturday's contest starts at 5:05 p.m. Saturday is free ticket night for RIT students.