ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT first-year forward
Evan Konyen scored the game-winning goal 32 seconds into overtime to lead the Tigers past visiting Robert Morris, 3-2, in Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) action.
Trailing, 2-1, with under six minutes left in regulation, junior forward
Christian Catalano tied the game with a power play goal to force the eventual overtime and setup Konyen's game-winner.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Robert Morris scored the lone goal of the first period after a shot from the point by John Babcock deflected through a crowded crease onto the stick of Bruce McDonald, who tipped a shot that trickled under sophomore goaltender
Jakub Krbecek's pads with 1:47 on the clock.
RIT finished an odd man rush 37 seconds into the second period to even the score. Sophomore forward
Zach Wigle evaded a defender through the neutral zone and dropped a pass to Konyen at the right point. Konyen fed senior forward
Austin Brimmer in the left faceoff circle, who roofed a shot, near post.
Following a Tiger tripping penalty, Rober Morris' Michael Felsing skated a puck form the red through three defenders to deke Krbeck with a forehand inside the right post at 11:06 of the third for a 2-1 lead.
RIT answered 3:07 later with a power play goal of their own following a Colonial interference penalty. Junior forward
Boris Skalos tipped a puck to sophomore defenseman
Tristan Allen at the point, who sent a puck to Catalano low in the left faceoff circle for a one-timer inside the near post with eight seconds left on the extra man.
Later skating 3-on-3 in overtime, Konyen took a puck along the left boards and skated around the point and through the right faceoff circle to snap a wrist shot through goaltender Croix Kochendorfer's pads for the game-winner.
COACH THOMAS SAID
"I think Robert Morris was really determined tonight and came into our building not wanting to go away getting swept. They threw everything at us they could and I like the way we responded. It wasn't the perfect game, but we did a lot of good things along the way to get there. It would have been nice to execute a little bit better, and we had some good scoring chances that we just weren't able to complete. But I'm still pretty proud of the effort.
"You have to get points in conference anytime you can, especially at home. We don't have that many home games left, so we've got to make sure we're taking advantage of our opportunities. It was a hard-fought game, so I'm glad that, at the end of the weekend, we've got something to be proud of.
"I loved the way the guys kept working, and, to go down a goal late and then get it back, it was huge."
GAME NOTES
- Coupled with Friday's 4-1 win over the Colonials, the Tigers earned five out of six conference points and moved into a tie for second with Holy Cross in the current AHA standings.
- Konyen scored his team-leading eighth goal of the season and is tied with Wigle for first on the squad with 15 points.
- Wigle also dished the primary assist on Konyen's game-winner for his first career multi-point game while notching a point in his team-leading fifth-consecutive game.
- Catalano notched his seventh goal of the season while Brimmer logged his sixth.
- Krbecek totaled 24 saves to improve to 13-7-0 this winter.
- RIT finished the game with a 29-26 advantage in shots on goal.
- The Tigers finished 1-for-4 on the power play while Robert Morris was 1-for-2.
- RIT has won nine-consecutive home games since opening the season with back-to-back losses to Sacred Heart at the GPC.
- RIT completed a four-game season sweep versus Robert Morris, also earning 2-1 and 3-2 victories in Moon Township, Pa. (Nov. 14-15).
WHAT'S NEXT
RIT is scheduled to play an AHA home-and-home series with Canisius next weekend, traveling to Buffalo on Friday (Jan. 16) before returning home on Saturday (Jan. 17). Both games are set to faceoff at 7:05 p.m.
