NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – After a sloppy start to the game led to a 3-1 deficit for the Purple Eagles hockey team, Niagara clawed its way back in the remaining minutes, exciting the home crowd and taking a 4-3 lead under three minutes to play. The opposing RIT Tigers picked up a tying goal with 48 seconds to play, and the two teams settled for a 4-4 tie Friday night at Dwyer Arena.
Matt Dineen, TJ Sarcona, Kevin Patterson, and Stephen Pietrobon all scored for Niagara (5-20-6, 5-15-5 Atlantic Hockey), who tied its opponent for the third straight game and moved to 2-0-3 in the month of January. Sam Rennaker earned two assists on the night to lead all Niagara scorers with two points. Guillaume Therien relieved Jackson Teichroeb 16:04 into the game, finishing the night with 26 saves and allowing only the game-tying goal.
Although the RIT Tigers (13-12-6, 13-7-5 Atlantic Hockey) maintained offensive pressure for much of the first five minutes, Niagara got on the board with its first shot of the game. Brock Edwards found Dineen at the point, and the senior captain’s wrist shot beat RIT goaltender Nick Amato 6:36 into the evening. RIT then scored three goals in 5:08, prompting the Purple Eagles to relieve Teichroeb, who made nine saves on 12 shots, in favor of Therien.
The freshmen, who entered the night with a 2.06 goals-against average and .926 save percentage in three appearances over the last month, made 11 saves in the second period as the Purple Eagles were able to narrow the deficit to one. Vinny Muto rang the puck around the right boards, finding Johnny Curran behind the net. Curran tapped a pass to Sarcona, whose shot found the back of the net just 3:28 into the second.
Just under eight minutes into the third period, Niagara got the tying goal from Patterson. Rennaker set up along the right wing boards and fired a shot on net, and Patterson’s redirection in front was good for his second tally of the season. Niko Kovachis had a goal waved off just minutes later due to a hand pass call, but the Purple Eagles kept pushing. Albin Karlsson capitalized on an RIT defensive zone turnover, and he found Stephen Pietrobon in front to give Niagara a 4-3 lead inside three minutes to play.
The Tigers pulled Amato in the closing minute, and they found a tying goal. Chase Norrish sent a wrist shot on net, and the puck trickled through the legs of Therien, knotting the game at four goals apiece with 47.8 seconds to play. Neither team scored again in the remainder of regulation, and Niagara outshot RIT 2-1 in a scoreless overtime.
The season series between Niagara and RIT remains knotted at 1-1-1, and tomorrow’s tilt at the Gene Polisseni Center will be the deciding game. These two teams will face off again at 7:05 p.m. in Rochester. Paul Hamilton will have the radio call on 1340 AM WLVL and PurpleEagles.com/Watch.
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