ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT sophomore forward
William Moore notched a career-high two goals to lead the Tigers to a home-opening 4-2 Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) victory over visiting Niagara, Saturday.
After trading goals in the first three minutes of regulation, RIT took a 3-1 lead on second-period goals by first-year forward
Julian Demiglio and Moore. Niagara pulled back within one 1:20 into the third, but Moore put the game away with an empty-netter in the final minute to seal the Tigers' first win of the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
RIT opened the scoring 41 seconds into the game. First-year forward
Caleb Elfering threw a pass from behind the Niagara goal to the right point where junior defenseman
Tristan Allen took a shot that ricocheted off the end boards out to the left point. Sophomore defenseman
Matthew Mania one-timed the loose puck inside the left post.
Niagara answered just over two minutes later skating short-handed. Brayden Boehm circled around the Tiger goal and fed a trailing Theo Lemieux in the slot, who deked a short backhand inside the right post with 17:08 on the clock.
RIT retook the lead 2:55 into the second. First-year forward
Matthew Wang took a feed from sophomore forward
Camden Bajzer in front of the left post and slipped a pass between his legs across the crease to Demiglio for a wide-open finish.
The Tigers finished a short-handed rush at 6:49 after Moore one-timed a return pass from Elfering in the right faceoff circle under Purple Eagle goaltender Charles-Edward Gravel.
Niagara got one back 1:20 into the third period. Josh Van Mulligen fed a pass to Hunter Wallace in front of the right post, who took a shot that deflected off a Tiger defender. Adam Gionta found the loose puck outside the left post and tucked a short finish behind RIT junior goaltender
Jakub Krbecek.
The Tigers held Niagara scoreless the rest of the way as Moore iced the game with an empty-net drive from the left point with 31.6 remaining in regulation.
GAME NOTES
- RIT killed all seven power plays it faced, but finishing 0-for-5 with the extra man.
- Krbecek ended the game with 28 saves, including 13 in the second period, for his first win of the season as RIT out-shot the Purple Eagles, 33-30.
- Moore logged his second career multi-point game and firs since notching two assists in a 3-2 win over Mercyhurst last season (Nov. 8).
- Elfering tied a career-high with two assists, matching the two he had in a 7-3 win at Air Force last winter (Oct. 25).
- Junior defenseman Brock Reinhart logged a career-high four blocked shots, tying senior defenseman Kevin Scott for the game-high.
- Demiglio's goal was his first collegiate point, while Wang's assist was also his first. Mania's goal was his first tally in a Tiger uniform.
- RIT bounced back from a 4-1 season-opening setback at Niagara on Friday to earn the AHA split.
WHAT'S NEXT
RIT hits the road for a pair of games at UMass next Friday and Saturday (Oct. 9-10). Faceoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. both nights.
