ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT senior forward Cody Laskosky totaled two goals and an assist while junior forward Carter Wilkie added a goal and an assist to lead the Tigers to a 4-2 win over visiting Sacred Heart in both teams' Atlantic Hockey opener, Friday.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Sacred Heart capitalized on a Tiger turnover in the opening minutes of the game after Braeden Tuck fed John Jaworski in the slot for a wrist shot over Tiger junior goaltender Tommy Scarfone's blocker with 15:51 on the clock.
• Wilkie tied the game 3:30 into the second period, grabbing a loose puck at the top of the Tiger zone and out-skating three defenders back to the Pioneer blue line before getting pulled down from behind. Wilkie deked Pioneer goaltender Chase Clark on the ensuing penalty shot attempt for a short forehand finish inside the right post.
• RIT notched a power play goal for a 2-1 lead with 5:55 left in the period. First-year forward Matthew Wilde took a Wilkie feed from behind the Pioneer net in the slot and put a wrist shot off Clark's pads that rebounded directly to Laskosky in front of a wide-open right post for a tap-in finish.
• Sacred Heart answered just over a minute later after Dante Fantauzzi finished an odd-man rush with 4:46 on the clock, but the Tigers retook a 3-2 lead with 2:01 remaining. First-year forward Christian Catalano dug a puck off the left boards back to fifth-year defenseman Gianfranco Cassaro at the left point, who scored on a long-distance blast past a screened Clark.
• The teams played a scoreless third period until Laskosky scored into an empty net with 25 seconds left in regulation to seal the victory. 

GAME NOTES

• Scarfone totaled 26 saves for his second-straight win as RIT finished with a 31-28 edge in shots.
• RIT killed all four Pioneer power play attempts and is unscored upon over its previous 12 penalty kills.
• Laskosky notched his first multi-goal game since logging a hat-trick in the Tigers 10-4 win at Canisius (Dec. 3, 2022) last season.
• Wilkie notched his 30^th career goal and 45^th career assist for 75 points in 80 career games. He has also scored a goal in all three of RIT's games this season.
• Wilkie also scored the Tigers' first penalty shot since Jake Hamacher tallied in a 6-4 win versus Mercyhurst on Jan. 28, 2021.
• Junior forward Tanner Andrew was credited with an assist on Laskosky's empty-netter for his 25^th career point.
• Catalano and Wilde were each credited with their first career points in a Tiger sweater. 
• Cassaro notched his second-straight game with a goal – the 20^th of his career.
• RIT was voted first in the Atlantic Hockey preseason poll while Sacred Heart was voted second.
• The Tiges have won seven of their last eight matchups with Sacred Heart. 

WHAT'S NEXT
RIT host Sacred Heart in a 5:05 p.m. rematch on Saturday (Oct. 21).