ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT men’s hockey team (1-1-1) skated to a 1-1 draw against the University of Connecticut (2-0-2) in front of a sellout crowd of 10,556 fans at Blue Cross Arena in downtown Rochester on Saturday evening. Tonight’s game was the focal point of RIT’s Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend.
Tonight marked the seventh straight sellout for RIT at Blue Cross Arena during Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend.
The game was scoreless until the third period, when Connecticut’s Kasperi Ojantakanen and RIT’s Chase Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers) traded goals just under six minutes apart. Both goaltenders would keep it 1-1 with big saves throughout the rest of regulation and overtime. Connecticut received a power-play with just over three minutes left in regulation, while RIT had one for the first 1:55 of overtime.
“It was an exciting game and I thought we took another step forward with our play tonight,” said RIT head coach Wayne Wilson. “I thought it was a good test for us and liked our intensity on both ends. Once again it was a great atmosphere and I thought we did a great job coming back after Connecticut scored first.”
The Tigers out-shot Connecticut, 37-22, including 5-1 in the overtime. RIT was 0-for-6 with the man-advantage, while Connecticut was 0-for-4. In goal, Connecticut’s Adam Huska made his collegiate debut and was tremendous, stopping 36-of-37 shots. RIT goaltender Mike Rotolo (Rochester, NY/Cedar Rapids Roughriders) was equally brilliant, making 21 saves on 22 shots.
RIT generated some good chances during the opening period, out-shooting the Huskies, 13-8, but were unable to solve Huska. Gabe Valenzuela (Brampton, Ontario/North York Rangers) had a tremendous chance in the final seconds of the period, cruising in on a 2-on-1, but Huska stood his ground and pad a big save, and gobbled up the rebound right before Erik Brown (Keene, Ontario/Kemptville 73’s) could grab the loose puck.
The Tigers killed off back-to-back penalties late in the period, getting in shooting lanes to deny the Huskies.
Neither team would score in an entertaining second period that saw good chances by both teams.
Huska made the save of the game on Brody Valette (High River, Alberta/Whitecourt Wolverines) with just under four minutes left in the second period and RIT on the power-play. The puck came loose in front after a blocked shot and Caleb Cameron (Sundridge, Ontario/Listowel Cyclones) fed a nice between the legs pass to Valette, who was all alone in the slot and appeared to have an open net, but Huska somehow got his left pad on the puck to keep the game scoreless.
Rotolo was called on to make two big saves on Maxim Letunov in front a minute later to keep the game scoreless.
In the third, Rotolo had to be sharp on the opening shift, as Spencer Naas came in on a partial breakaway and tried to go high, but the senior goaltender was able to knock the puck away, keeping the game scoreless.
Connecticut would get on the board first with 14:14 left in regulation, as a point shot from Derek Pratt deflected off Ojantakanen in front, changing directions to elude Rotolo. Wyatt Newpower also assisted on the goal.
RIT would come on after the goal and finally be rewarded with 8:29 to play, as Myles Powell (Courtenay, British Columbia/Cowichan Valley Capitals) took a pass off the back boards and fired a pass to Brady Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers) at the left point. Brady made a quick pass to twin brother Chase, who unleashed a rocket of a one-timer from the right side that beat Huska for his second goal of the season.
Rotolo would come up big on a late Connecticut power-play, first making a big save on a point blank change from Tage Thompson and off the ensuing faceoff, standing tall on a tip attempt from Brian Morgan in front.
RIT would begin overtime with a power-play and generate a handful of good chances, including a hard shot from Brady Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers) that whistled just wide of the net.
The Tigers are 10-9-3 all-time at the downtown arena, now riding a current six-game unbeaten streak. RIT won the 2015 and 2016 Atlantic Hockey Championships, sandwiched around a 2-2 tie in last year’s homecoming game against Bowling Green.
RIT and Connecticut were Atlantic Hockey rivals from 2006-2014 before the Huskies moved to Hockey East. RIT leads the all-time series between the two schools, 19-10-2.
The Tigers are back in action next weekend, as they head east to face Union and Rensselaer of the ECAC. RIT takes on Union at 7 p.m. Friday and goes to Rensselaer for a 7 p.m. start the following evening.
