RIT (15-15-3, 10-7-2 CHA) takes over third in the College Hockey America standings, but a wintomorrow night would give Syracuse (18-11-3, 9-7-3 CHA) its spot back in the rankings.
The Tigers and the Orange head over to Syracuse to rematch in Tennity Ice Pavilion at 4 p.m. tomorrow. It is Syracuse’s Senior Day and the Orange will honor the seven seniors leaving after this season.
Jenesica Drinkwater made 29 saves including 11 in the final stanza while RIT’s Ali Binnington stopped 23 of Syracuse’s 24 shots on target.
The Orange was dominant to start the game but allowed RIT to control the puck in the second period which ultimately gave the Tigers the goals needed to win the game. Overall, Syracuse edged RIT in total shots, 59-51, but the Tigers won in shots on target, 32-24.
“We played pretty well the first 8-12 minutes but once they got ahead with that first goal, they did good job seizing the momentum and they kept getting better and stronger,” head coach Paul Flanagan said. “They played hard defensively and we struggled because they had a smothering defense that didn’t give us enough room or time to make plays.”
Jessica Sibley attacked the net early, getting one on net and one on the crease thatAkane Hosoyamada was unable to get a stick on and send in. Allie LaCombe also had a pair of good looks at the beginning of the game with one shot getting trapped by the goalie and a shot taken from the right faceoff circle that went just high of the net.
RIT was the first to get on the board when Drinkwater was unable to poke away a shot taken from the left faceoff circle and Kourtney Kunichika rebounded it into the net on her senior night to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead with 9:04 remaining in the first period.
The Orange refused to go into the first intermission with a deficit, however, and tied the game at 1-1 with 4:46 to go. LaCombe took a faceoff in the left circle and sent it out toNicole Renault at the point, who slapped it toward Binnington. Scharfe was positioned in front of the goal and tipped it past the Tiger in net to even the score.
RIT regained its lead 29 seconds into the second period when Erin Zack, who was also honored as a senior, took a slap shot from the point that Drinkwater lost sight of to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead. RIT extended its lead to 3-1 with 7:03 remaining in the second when Kolbee McCrea swiped the puck into the goal while falling down in the slot.
Neither team was able to score in the third period due to some great goaltending on both ends. Drinkwater made 11 impressive saves down the stretch and Binnington stopped all six of Syracuse’s tries on net.
