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a men's hockey player taking a shot on an opposing goalkeeper
RIT Athletics / Sophia Buonpane
6
Winner Niagara NIA 14-10-3, 12-5-2
3
RIT RIT 5-20-1, 4-13-1
Winner
Niagara NIA
14-10-3, 12-5-2
6
Final
3
RIT RIT
5-20-1, 4-13-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 F
Niagara NIA 0 2 4 6
RIT RIT 0 1 2 3

Game Recap: Men's Hockey |

Men's Hockey comes up short of Niagara, 6-3

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The RIT Men's Hockey team lost to visiting Niagara, 6-3, in Atlantic Hockey America play, Saturday.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Following a scoreless first period, RIT opened the scoring midway through the second. Senior forward Tanner Andrew checked a Niagara player off the puck inside the Tiger blueline before senior forward Grady Hobbs grabbed the loose puck and headed the other way for an odd-man rush. Hobbs returned the puck to Andrew in the slot for a shot under Purple Eagle goaltender Pierce Charlson's glove at 10:02.
  • Niagara answered 1:54 later after Ray Murakami scored on a long rebound from the left faceoff circle through traffic. The Purple Eagles then grabbed a 2-1 lead at 15:32 after Tyler Wallace won an offensive zone faceoff back to the point and Ross Roloson scored on a long wrist shot through a crowd in front of RIT first-year goaltender Jakub Krbecek.  
  • RIT retied the game at 6:02 of the third. Sophomore forward Christian Catalano was whistled for interference at 3:56, but as the final seconds of the penalty ticked off, Andrew blocked a Niagara shot that junior defenseman Xavier Lapointe sent to Catalano in the neutral zone as he exited the penalty box. Catalano skated back to beat Charlson, one-on-one, with a shot inside the right post.
  • Niagara retook a 3-2 lead at 9:12 after Johnny Wescoe redirected a shot in front of the crease past Krbecek, but the Tigers retied the game at 12:48 after Hobbs sprung sophomore forward Matthew Wilde with a long outlet pass for a one-on-one chance he converted over Charlson's blocker.
  • Niagara took the lead for good at 15:58 after Ethan Lund one-timed a loose puck at the top of the left faceoff circle after a Purple Eagle wrap-around attempt had deflected off a RIT defender's skate.
  • Niagara scored a power-play goal with 1:53 remaining in regulation and later tacked on an empty-netter in the closing seconds to close the weekend.    
GAME NOTES
  • Wilde scored his team-leading 11th goal of the season, while Catalano and Andrew each notched their fifth.
  • Krbecek finished the game with 37 saves for his 13th outing in 15 starts with at least 30 saves.
  • Niagara out-shot RIT, 43-37.
  • RIT killed five-of-six Purple Eagle power plays, but finished scoreless on three extra-man chances.
  • Graduate student defenseman Dimitri Mikrogiannakis blocked a team-high five shots.
  • Niagara completed the weekend sweep after also winning Friday night's opener, 7-0. 
WHAT'S NEXT
RIT travels to Air Force next Friday and Saturday (Jan. 31-Feb. 1) for its final two road games of the regular season. Faceoffs are scheduled for 9:05 p.m. EST and 7:05 p.m. EST, respectively.