ROCHESTER, NY – The sixth-seeded RIT men’s hockey team had its 2016-17 season end, falling to No. 11 seed Niagara University (5-29-3), 4-1 in game three of the 2017 Atlantic Hockey First Round Series at the Gene Polisseni Center on Sunday night. The Tigers finish the season with a 14-22-1 record.
Niagara would score two quick goals in the opening 3:49 to jump out to the early 2-0 lead and RIT could never recover, despite out-shooting the Purple Eagles, 43-19. Niagara goaltender Jackson Teichroeb made 42 saves to help his team advance to the Atlantic Hockey Quarterfinal series at top-seeded Canisius next weekend.
Stanislav Dzakhov scored two third period goals and added an assist to lead the Purple Eagles. Kris Spriggs and Sam Rennaker also scored.
Jordan Peacock (Burlington, Ontario/Burlington Cougars) scored RIT’s lone goal early in the second period, as Mark Logan (Calgary, Alberta/Brooks Bandits ) drew the assist. Goaltender Mike Rotolo (Rochester, NY/Cedar Rapids Roughriders) made 15 saves.
Niagara was 1-for-4 with the man-advantage, while RIT was 0-for-3.
The Tigers were eliminated in the first round for just the second time in 10 trips to the Atlantic Hockey Tournament. It was also RIT’s first loss in a deciding game three on home ice.
“We gave up the two early goals, a couple unfortunate bounces, and played well enough to win, but we put ourselves in that situation,” said RIT head coach Wayne Wilson. “We just didn’t get the job done.”
RIT would have three incredible chances on the very first shift, 10 seconds in, as Gabe Valenzuela (Brampton, Ontario/North York Rangers), Abbott Girduckis (Belleville, Ontario/Wellington Dukes), and Erik Brown (Keene, Ontario/Kemptville 73’s) were denied by Teichroeb in succession right on the doorstep.
Niagara would score on its first shot of the game, as Pietrobon fired a pass to Spriggs streaking towards the net. Spriggs had the puck squirt off his stick, but through the legs of Rotolo, who was sliding across the crease for the goal.
Rennaker would give the Purple Eagles a 2-0 lead just 2:49 later, taking a feed from behind the net and ripping a shot into the open net off a feed from Johnny Curran as Rotolo was unable to get back into the play.
Shawn Cameron (Sherbrooke, Quebec/Cumberland Grads) had a great chance for the Tigers later in the period, speeding in a 1-on-1 rush with a Niagara defenseman. Cameron would get a good, hard shot off from the high slot that was gobbled up by Teichroeb.
The Tigers dominated the second period, tying a season-high with 22 shots, out-shooting the Purple Eagles, 22-3. RIT would get one goal back and trail 2-1 after 40 minutes of play.
RIT would get one back five minutes into the second period, as the fourth line went to work off an offensive zone faceoff and were rewarded, as Peacock used his long reach to score on a wraparound after Mark Logan (Calgary, Alberta/Brooks Bandits ) drove the net and had his shot stopped by Teichroeb.
Niagara would have a golden chance to go up 3-1 while shorthanded, as Rennaker broke in a on a 2-on-1 and ripped a shot to the short side past Rotolo. Fortunately for the Tigers, the puck hit the post and crossbar, bouncing out. The referees would go to replay and confirm that the puck did not go in.
Valenzuela had a great chance later in the period, as he was left all alone in front, taking a feed from Girduckis. Teichhroeb was up to the task, making a great pad save to keep it a 2-1 game. Brown also hit the post on a shot attempt early in the period.
Niagara would add to its lead on a power-play with 14:50 left on its first shot of the third period, as Dzahkov fired a shot from the right side that Rotolo seemed to have corralled, but it somehow slipped through his pad and the post for his eighth goal of the season, making it a 3-1 game.
Dzahkov would put the game away with an empty-netter from his own zone with 3:04 left, completing the scoring.
In game one, Niagara scored three times in the final 3:55 of regulation, tying the game with 56.3 seconds left in regulation and scoring the game-winner with 10.5 seconds left to stun RIT, 5-4. Abt had three points to lead the RIT offensive attack.
Last night, RIT evened the series at one game apiece with a 5-0 win. Abt, Myles Powell (Courtenay, British Columbia/Cowichan Valley Capitals), and Ryan Kruper (Sherwood Park, Alberta/Sherwood Park Crusaders) had a goal and an assist each, while Rotolo made 19 saves for his sixth career shutout.
The Tigers went 3-2 against Niagara this season. Earlier this year, RIT won both regular season meetings at Dwyer Arena, 7-1 on Dec. 2 and 6-2 on Dec. 3. Niagara leads the all-time series between the two schools, 17-10-12.
The Tigers are now 29-15 in the postseason at the Division I level and 4-4 all-time in Atlantic Hockey first round games.
RIT will lose seniors Caleb Cameron (Sundridge, Ontario/Listowel Cyclones), Michael Holland (Rye, NH/Chicago Steel), Garrett McMullen (Churchville, NY/Trail Smoke Eaters), Alex Perron-Fontaine (St. Mathieu de Beloeil, Quebec/Chilliwack Chiefs), Mike Rotolo (Rochester, NY/Cedar Rapids Roughriders), Todd Skirving (Thunder Bay, Ontario/Sioux Falls Stampede), and Danny Smith (Edmonton, Alberta/Sherwood Park Crusaders) to graduation.
