ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT junior forward
Jake Hamacher (Corona, CA/Dubuque Fighting Saints) notched a goal and an assist while junior goalie
Logan Drackett (Calgary, Alberta/Calgary Canucks) totaled 31 saves to lead the Tigers to a 3-2 victory and two-game sweep of visiting Mercyhurst in Atlantic Hockey action, Saturday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- RIT (10-6-2, 7-5-2 AHA) opened the scoring 3:17 into the game on a left-wing rush. Freshman forward Elijah Gonsalves (Scarborough, Ontario/Wellington Dukes) took a feed from Hamacher in the left face-off circle and dropped a pass back into the slot to freshman forward Caleb Moretz (Fairbanks, AK/Flin Flon Bombers) for a close-range finish.
- The Tigers took a 2-0 lead with 10:42 remaining in the first. Senior defenseman Chris McKay (Edmonton, Alberta/Sherwood Park Crusaders) sent a pass down the left flank to senior forward Shawn Cameron (Sherbrooke, Quebec/Cumberland Grads), who slid a feed across the front of the Laker crease to Hamacher for a short finish.
- Mercyhurst (4-10-1, 2-6-1 AHA) got one back with 4:05 on the clock. An RIT turnover at the top of the Laker zone led to a one-on-one break by freshman forward Gueorgui Feduolov, who just beat Drackett to the right post with a short back-hander.
- The Lakers tied the game with 9:11 on the second-period clock. Freshman defenseman Joseph Maziarz scored on shot from the slot that got past a screened Drackett, glove side.
- RIT re-took the lead with 2:33 left in the period. Junior forward Nick Bruce (Fall River, Nova Scotia/Johnstown Tomahawks) took a puck off a Mercyhurst players' stick behind the Lakers' right post where sophomore forward Will Calverley (Scarborough, Ontario/Chilliwack Chiefs) stuffed home what proved to be the deciding tally.
GAME NOTES
- Drackett held Mercyhurst scoreless over the final 29:11 of play, including 12 saves in the third period, to log his seventh 30-plus save performance of the season.
- RIT out-shot the Lakers, 40-33. Mercyhurst senior goalie Colin Deaugustine totaled 37 saves in the loss.
- RIT improved to 5-1-1 when leading after the first period, 8-0-1 when leading after the second and 6-1-1 when scoring the first goal of the game.
- Brubacher made his 130th career appearance, playing in every game since pulling on an RIT sweater.
- Hamacher, junior defenseman Dan Willett (Bayville, NY/Bloomington Thunder) and junior forward Alden Dupuis (Edmonton, Alberta/Bonnyville Pontiacs) all made their 90th career appearance for the Tigers.
- RIT also defeated Mercyhurst on Friday, 7-3.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Tigers take three weeks off for the holidays before returning to host Guelph (Ont.) in an exhibition game on Sunday, Dec. 29th at 3:05 p.m.