WORCESTER, Mass. – The RIT Men's Hockey team fell, 5-1, at Holy Cross in Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) play, Friday.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Holy Cross got on the board 32 seconds into the game. Jack Stockfish took a shot from the left faceoff circle that deflected into the air off RIT sophomore goaltender Jakub Krbecek's pads before Jack Seymour cleaned up a loose puck on the crease.
 
RIT evened the score at 6:48 of the second. Holy Cross dug a puck off the corner boards to the left of the Crusader goal, but sophomore forward Ty Whyte stole the puck in the faceoff circle and skated across the slot to flip a backhanded shot inside the right post.
 
 
Holy Cross scored twice in a 1:30-second span to retake a 3-1 lead in the closing minutes of the second. Stockfish cleaned up a rebound with 3:45 on the clock before Timothy Heineke finished a two-on-one opportunity with 2:15 remaining.
 
After RIT was hit with a five-minute major penalty 1:10 into the third period, Holy Cross notched two power play goals to build a decisive 5-1 lead at 4:10.
 
GAME NOTES

• Holy Cross finished with a 31-21 advantage in shots on goal.
• RIT was scoreless on three power plays while the Crusaders notched two power play goals on six attempts. 

WHAT'S NEXT/PLAYOFF UPDATE

• RIT closes the regular season with a 7:05 rematch at Holy Cross on Saturday (Feb.28).
• RIT has already clinched a first-round bye for the AHA Tournament, while the top four seeds earn home ice advantage for next weekend's best-of-three quarterfinals.
• Already assured of no lower than a fifth-place finish, RIT would clinch the third seed with a regulation win, while an overtime or shootout win would guarantee no lower than fourth.