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a goaltender getting ready to make a save in a crowd of players during a hockey game.
Elizabeth Robertson / RIT Athletics
3
RIT RIT 13-10-0, 9-6-0
5
Winner Canisius CAN 10-9-2, 5-6-2
RIT RIT
13-10-0, 9-6-0
3
Final
5
Canisius CAN
10-9-2, 5-6-2
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 F
RIT RIT 1 1 1 3
Canisius CAN 0 3 2 5

Game Recap: Men's Hockey |

Men's Hockey loses 5-3 decision at Canisius

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The RIT Men's Hockey team fell, 5-3, at Canisius in Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) play, Friday.
 
RIT first-year forward Caleb Elfering scored a power play goal 1:14 into the game before the Golden Griffins outscored the Tigers, 3-1, in the second period and tallied early in the third for a 4-2 lead. RIT pulled back within one with 15:33 remaining, but Canisius held the Tigers scoreless the rest of the way and added a late empty-net goal en route to the victory.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
RIT took advantage of a Canisius tripping call 15 seconds into the game. A shot by senior defenseman Crossley Stewart from the point was blocked down outside the right post where first-year forward Zach Wigle slipped the loose puck to Elfering in the slot for a one-timer inside an open left post with 18:46 on the clock.
  Canisius answered early in the second period with a power play goal of its own following a Tiger interference penalty. Grant Porter had a shot from the point blocked in the slot, but Walter Zacher cleaned up the rebound in front at 4:45.

RIT retook the lead at 11:16 after junior forward Christian Catalano stole a puck in the neutral zone and split two defenders to score on a shot under Canisius goaltender Petter Wickstrom Stumer's pads. Canisus scored twice in the final four minutes of the second period to take a 3-2 lead. Carter Anderson cleaned up a short rebound at 16:10 before Zacher beat the Tiger defense back on a counterattack and snapped a shot over Krbecek's glove with 17 seconds on the clock.

Canisius took a 4-2 lead 1:40 into the third after Zacher scored on a shot from a tight angle in the right corner that banked down inside the post off Krbecek's helmet to complete the hat trick.

RIT got one back at 4:27 of the third after first-year forward Even Konyen crossed a puck to first-year forward William Moore in the right faceoff circle for a wrist shot over a diving Wickstrom Stumer, near post, at the end of a two-on-one break. Canisus put the game out of reach with an empty-net goal with 1:19 remaining in regulation.

COACH THOMAS SAID
"It was one of those nights. We did a lot well and I really liked the way our guys played. Obviously, you can point to a couple of those rush goals in the second period that we can't let go in, and then an unfortunate one goes in off Kuba's head from a bad angle.

"I didn't think our defense had a good enough game. We left too many shots on the table up at the blue line and in the offensive zone and we got beat off the rush way too much.

"I thought we executed our game plan pretty well. We had some opportunities, offensively, and had a lot of really good chances. We made a lot of good plays but just didn't finish. We can't give them the opportunities they got for easy offense, especially off their rush."
 
GAME NOTES
  • Wigle notched a point for his team-leading sixth game in a row along with his second-straight game with two assists. He leads the squad with 12 helpers this fall.
  • Catalano logged his eighth goal of the season – tying Konyen for the team lead.
  • Elfering and Moore each scored their fifth goals of the season.
  • RIT finished with a 39-19 advantage in shots on goal as Krbecek totaled 13 saves.
  • RIT blocked 15 shots, including three apiece by sophomore defensemen Ryan Williams and Mason Croucher. 
WHAT'S NEXT
RIT returns home on Saturday (Jan. 17) for a 7:05 p.m. rematch with Canisius.