ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The RIT Men's Hockey team rode a big third period to a 4-1 victory over visiting Robert Morris in Atlantic Hockey America action, Friday.
 
Junior defenseman Ben Roger scored in the second minute of play before the Colonials tied the game midway through the second. The Tigers notched three unanswered goals in the third, including what proved to be the game-winner by first-year forward Camden Bajzer, en route to the victory.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Roger opened the scoring on a shot from the right point that scored through a crowd in front of RMU goaltender Charlie Schenkel 1:37 into the contest.
 
RMU tied the score at 18:54 of the second, skating 4-on-4. Tanner Klimpke took a puck in the left corner and skated to the point for a shot that changed direction off a player in the slot and scored past sophomore goaltender Jakub Krbeck through a screen, stick side.

RIT retook a 2-1 lead at 4:19 of the third. First-year forward William Moore intercepted a clearing attempt along the right boards and slipped a puck ahead to first-year forward Caleb Elfering in the right faceoff circle. Elfering threw a pass under a defender to Bajzer in the slot, who lifted a shot over Schenkel's stick.
 
The Tigers made it a 3-1 game after first-year forward Even Konyen sent a pass out of the left faceoff circle that made its way to Roger at the top of the right faceoff circle. Roger zipped a perfect pass to first-year forward Zach Wigle, who one-timed a puck inside the left post from close range.  
 
Senior forward Philip Jacques helped battle a puck out of the Tiger zone in the closing minutes ahead to senior forward Tyler Mahan, who closed the scoring with an empty-net goal with 1: 31 on the clock.  
 
COACH THOMAS SAID
"The win is the most important thing, but I didn't think we had our regular jump today. I didn't like the way we defended all game, to be honest, but we had a few guys really dig in and carry the load for us back there. It was nice to see some goals going to the 3rd period. Obviously, we needed it. I felt like some guys were just fighting the puck. It was one of those games where it felt like a lot of guys didn't have their A-game, but I'm glad they found a way to have a B-game and still win.

"I thought we generated a lot of offense early, but while we didn't cash in as much as we wanted, we did defend well. We kind of got off script on our breakouts and on how we wanted to enter through neutral ice. We didn't really play our game, and that was a frustrating thing because it just led to a lot of transition for them. So, we've got plenty to clean up, but I've got a lot of confidence in our team that they will do that. Our leadership has been great all year, and our whole team's been great at responding when they need to.

"Good teams win third periods. We found a way to elevate our game. This was hardly a perfect game for us, but we did enough at the right times to obviously get the win and that's huge."

GAME NOTES

• Roger scored a goal and two assists after a goal and an assist in last Sunday's 7-3 setback at then No. 8/9 Penn State. He also blocked a team-high three shots, Friday. 
• Wigle netted his fifth goal of the season for a point in his fourth-consecutive game and also won 14-of-22 faceoffs for his third-straight game with double-digit faceoff wins.
• Krbecek stopped 33 of 34 shots he faced for his fourth outing of the season and 17th of his career with at least 30 saves.
• RIT killed all three RMU power plays while finishing 0-for-1 with the extra man.
• Mahan moved into a tie for the team lead with Konyen with his seventh goal of the season, while Roger logged his third and Bajzer notched his second.

 WHAT'S NEXT
RIT hosts Robert Morris in an AHA rematch on Saturday (Jan. 10) at 5:05 p.m.