ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT men's hockey team (12-10-3) fell to No. 16 Arizona State University (18-10-1), 6-1 in front of 3,147 fans from the Gene Polisseni Center Friday night.

Dylan Hollman and Brinson Pasichnuk led the Sun Devils with two goals and an assist apiece, while Anthony Croston added three helpers. Johnny Walker dished out a pair of assists and fired a game-high seven shots on net. Tyler Busch and Brett Gruber and also scored for Arizona State. Goaltender Joey Daccord turned aside 33 shots for his 18th win of the season.

Ryan Kruper (Sherwood Park, Alberta/Sherwood Park Crusaders) scored RIT's lone goal, while Ian Andriano (Barrie, Ontario/Ottawa Jr. Senators) took the loss in net, stopping 24 shots.

RIT out-shot Arizona State, 34-30. The Tigers were 0-for-3 on the power-play, while Arizona State finished 0-for-2.

"I thought Arizona State capitalized on their opportunities and we did not take advantage of our chances," said RIT head coach Wayne Wilson. "I thought we carried play at times during the first two periods, but we never really got settled in and did not play with a sense of confidence."

The Sun Devils raced out to an early 2-0 lead on goals by Hollman and Gruber. Hollman tipped in a shot by Pasichnuk for his 10th goal of the year just 26 seconds in. Gruber took a feed from Walker on a 3-on-2 rush and ripped a shot over the glove of Andriano for his sixth goal of the season at the 8:44 mark.

RIT seemed to be energized after the second Arizona State goal, controlling play for large stretches later in the period, but could not solve Daccord. Bryson Traptow (Calgary, Alberta/Camrose Kodiaks) hit the right post on a stuff in attempt from the side the net. Shawn Cameron (Sherbrooke, Quebec/Cumberland Grads) had a great chance on a 4-on-2 rush that Daccord just got a piece of.

Arizona State would add to its lead in the second period, as Busch fired a perfectly placed shot over the glove of Andriano on a 2-on-1 rush for his sixth goal of the season to make it 3-0.

Once again, RIT would pepper the Sun Devils net for long stretches, but Daccord was there to make several key saves.

Kruper would get RIT on the board with 4:05 left in the period, spinning and firing in a shot from the left circle off his face-off win for his second goal of the season to cut the Sun Devils lead to 3-1.

RIT would get a power-play with 2:37 left in the period, looking to make it a one-goal game, but Arizona State would regain the momentum off the defensive zone face-off, as Holman would take a feed from Croston, come into the RIT zone and fire a wrist shot from the left side that eluded Andriano for a shorthanded goal to make it 4-1.

Pasichnuk scored a pair of third period goals, one 3:23 into the frame and the other with 2:44 left to close out the scoring.

Tonight was the first ever meeting between the two schools. Arizona State is in its fourth season as an Independent Division I program.

RIT and Arizona State wrap up the weekend series tomorrow night from the Polisseni Center at 7:05 p.m.