ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT men’s hockey team (0-0-1) opened the 2017-18 season by skating to a 3-3 tie against No. 14 Northeastern University (2-0-1) in front of 8,835 fans at Blue Cross Arena Saturday evening as part of the university’s Brick City Homecoming & Family Weekend.
RIT opened a 3-0 lead late in the second period before Northeastern came back with three unanswered goals, including Dylan Sikura’s game-tying tally with 2:40 left in regulation.
The Tigers started overtime with a power-play, but could not convert. Liam Kerins (Caledon, Ontario/North York Rangers) had a golden chance to win the game with 1:20 left open in front, but he redirected a nifty pass from Myles Powell (Courtenay, British Columbia/Cowichan Valley Capitals) off the shoulder of goaltender Cayden Primeau.
Northeastern was awarded a power-play with 35 seconds left, but RIT won the ensuing defensive zone and cleared the puck down the ice. Northeastern took one last shot with eight seconds left that Chase Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers) blocked and cleared away to end the game.
Erik Brown (Keene, Ontario/Kemptville 73’s) scored two second period goals for the Tigers and was named the game’s first star. Myles Powell (Courtenay, British Columbia/Cowichan Valley Capitals) also scored. In net, freshman Logan Drackett (Calgary, Alberta/Calgary Canucks) made his first collegiate start, stopping 41 of 44 shots sent his way. He was named the third star.
Sikura and Garret Cockerill had a goal and an assist to lead Northeastern, while Adam Gaudette added a pair of helpers. Lincoln Griffin also scored. Goaltender Cayden Primeau made 24 saves in the tie.
Northeastern out-shot RIT, 44-27. The Huskies were 1-for-8 with the man-advantage, while RIT was 1-for-4. Northeastern took 17 of its 44 shots on goal with the man-advantage. RIT’s defense also blocked 27 Northeastern shots.
“I thought we were very opportunistic over the first two periods to take the lead, but gave them too many chances on the power-play in the third period,” said RIT head coach Wayne Wilson. “We need to be smarter with the lead.”
Neither team scored in a first period that featured 24 shots on goal, physical play and excellent goaltending.
Abbott Girduckis (Belleville, Ontario/Wellington Dukes) had RIT’s best chance just over five minutes in, as he wired a backhand from the slot that Primeau got a piece of.
Northeastern picked up the pressure over the second half of the period with a handful of quality chances, but Drackett was up to the task, as he stopped all 16 shots over the opening 20 minutes of play.
RIT exploded for three second period goals to take a 3-1 lead after 40 minutes of play.
Just 50 seconds into the period, Powell took a drop feed from Matt Abt (Leduc, Alberta/Whitecourt Wolverines) off the rush in the high slot a ripped a wrist shot past Primeau for his first goal of the season to open the scoring for RIT.
Drackett would keep it 1-0 with a great save moments later on Nolan Stevens from point-blank range.
The Tigers would add to their lead at the 5:58 mark, as Brown scored on a rebound after Mark Logan (Calgary, Alberta/Brooks Bandits) was stopped by Primeau on a breakaway. Brown won a defensive zone faceoff forward and hit Logan, who was coming out of the penalty box after serving a minor. Logan raced in alone and had his initial chance stopped by Primeau, but Brown followed up and slammed the rebound into the open net to make it 2-0 RIT.
Brown would strike again on the power-play with 6:12 left in the period, as he tipped a wrist shot by Brady Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers) past Primeau for his second goal of the night to make it 3-0 Tigers. Gabe Valenzuela (Brampton, Ontario/North York Rangers) also assisted on the goal.
Griffin would get the Huskies on the board with 3:04 left in the frame, right after a RIT penalty expired, as he ripped home a one-timer in from Zach Solow from the slot for his second goal of the season. Ryan Shea also assisted on the tally.
Cockerill made it 3-2 Tigers with 10:45 left in regulation, taking a feed from Gaudette in the high slot and ripping a hard snap shot over the blocker of Drackett for the goal.
Tonight marked the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
The Tigers are 10-9-4 all-time at the downtown arena, riding a current seven-game unbeaten streak. RIT has now skated to a tie in each of the last three Brick City Homecoming & Family Weekend contests downtown.
RIT is right back in action next Friday, Oct. 20, as Union College invades the Gene Polisseni Center for a 7:05 p.m. opening faceoff.
