ROCHESTER, NY – Despite firing a Division I team record 58 shots on goal, the RIT men’s hockey team (3-5-2, 3-1-1 AHC) had its four game unbeaten streak snapped, falling in overtime to visiting Bentley University (4-3-1, 2-2-1 AHC), 3-2 in front of 3,072 fans at the Gene Polisseni Center Friday evening.
Bentley’s Max French scored the game-winning goal with 31 seconds left in overtime, taking a feed from Kyle Schmidt on a 2-on-1, and while losing his balance, redirected the pass with his skate past RIT goaltender Mike Rotolo (Rochester, NY/Cedar Rapids Roughriders) for his second goal of the game and sixth of the season. The goal was reviewed to see if it was a distinct kicking motion, but was determined it was redirected in legally.
RIT had a great chance to win earlier in the overtime, as Josh Mitchell (Osoyoos, British Columbia/Alberni Valley Bulldogs) made a perfect pass to Myles Powell (Courtenay, British Columbia/Cowichan Valley Capitals) on the doorstep, but Bentley goaltender Gabe Antoni made the game-saving save.
The Tigers out-shot Bentley, 58-29. The 56 shots through regulation were a Division I team record, breaking the previous mark of 55, set on Feb. 16, 2007 vs. Mercyhurst. It was also RIT’s first overtime loss on home ice since Nov. 9, 2007 vs. Air Force.
Brady Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers) recorded the first multiple-goal effort of his career, tallying both RIT goals. Mitchell assisted on both goals, while Alexander Kuqali (Pittsburgh, PA/Sioux City Musketeers) and Gabe Valenzuela (Brampton, Ontario/North York Rangers) also added an assist apiece. Every skater in the lineup had at least one shot on goal.
French scored twice for the Falcons, while Jake Ahlgren also tallied and Schmidt recorded a pair of assists. In goal, Jayson Argue started and was tremendous, stopping 43-of-45 shots over the first two periods before leaving the game due to injury. Gabe Antoni stepped in and continued the incredible play between the nets, stopping all 13 shots he faced over the final 24 minutes to pick up the win.
RIT was 1-for-3 on the power-play, while Bentley was 0-for-2. A total of just 14 penalty minutes were assessed on the evening.
“I thought our effort and play was really good tonight,” said RIT head coach Wayne Wilson. “That’s how we want to play, physical and up tempo. Give Bentley credit, both of their goalies played really well and their top line stepped up. We need to come back even stronger tomorrow night to get the weekend split.”
The Tigers came out flying in the opening period, peppering Argue with a season-high 23 shots, but the Bentley goaltender was brilliant, holding RIT to just one tally.
Just four minutes in, Argue was called upon to make a series of excellent stops, the best on Mitchell off a rebound, sliding across to somehow keep the shot out.
Bentley would strike first 6:15 into the opening period, when French was left all alone at the side of the net to tap in a pass from Kyle Schmidt for his fifth goal of the year. Schmidt carried the puck into the RIT zone and fired a shot that Rotolo stopped, but the rebound came right back to Schmidt and he found French all alone.
The Tigers tied the game at 1-1 just 2:05 later as the teams were skating 4-on-4. Powell made a series of nice moves to carry the puck into the Bentley zone, dropping a pass to Mitchell along the side boards. Mitchell fed Alexander Kuqali (Pittsburgh, PA/Sioux City Musketeers) at the point, who promptly faked a shot, getting the defense and Argue to bite. Kuqali calmly fired a pass to Brady Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers) at the right face-off circle and he was able to beat Argue for his first goal of the year.
Bentley quickly answered and quieted the Polisseni Center crowd just 11 seconds later, off the ensuing faceoff, as Ahlgren took a feed from Derek Bacon, came into the RIT zone and beat Rotolo with a long wrist shot for his second goal of the year to make it 2-1 Falcons.
The Tigers kept coming and nearly tied the game a few different times later in the period. Argue’s best stop came on a point-blank chance by Michael Holland (Cambridge, MA/Chicago Steel), who was all alone in the slot after taking a feed from Danny Smith (Edmonton, Alberta/Sherwood Park Crusaders). Holland tried to go high, but Argue made a great shoulder save.
RIT kept coming in the second period, firing 22 more shots on goal and finally tying the game at 2-2 in the final minute of play.
Mitchell just missed tying the game with 13:59 in the second, coming in on a 2-on-1, toe-dragging past the defenseman and going 1-on-1 with Argue. He tried to go high, but could not get it over the goaltender’s shoulder. Just over four minutes later Argue did it again, somehow studding Caleb Cameron (Sundridge, Ontario/Listowel Cyclones) from the doorstep after a shot caromed wide off the back boards.
The Tigers finally tied the game at 2-2 with 54 seconds left in the period, on the power-play, as Brady Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers) walked in from the left point to the face-off circle, firing a shot that caromed off a Bentley defenseman’s skate and just past Argue for his second goal of the game. Mitchell and Gabe Valenzuela (Brampton, Ontario/North York Rangers) assisted on the goal.
With Antoni replacing Argue in the third, RIT kept coming, as Mark Golberg (Ottawa, Ontario/Cumberland Grads) had a tremendous chance from in tight with eight minutes left, but the Bentley goaltender made a big save to keep it tied.
Rotolo was excellent in the third as well, making a highlight reel save on Danny Kucerovy, sliding across to stop what was a sure goal with a lightning quick glove save early in the frame. With 31 seconds left, he stopped a redirection by Drew Callin off the rush to help send the game to overtime.
RIT leads the all-time series between the two schools, 17-10-2, including a 15-9-2 record since the Division I era started in 2005. RIT and Bentley tied for third in the league standings last season.
The two teams conclude their regular season series on Saturday from the Gene Polisseni Center, also at 7:05 p.m.
