RIT senior forward Nick Bruce notched a pair of goals while senior forward Kobe Walker added a goal and two assists to lead the Tigers to a 4-3 win over visiting Holy Cross, Saturday, in Atlantic Hockey action.
HOW IT HAPPENED
RIT jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first 3:50 of the contest. Bruce finished a short cross from senior forward Will Calverley 37 seconds into the game before senior forward Jake Hamacher back-handed a rebound off a shot by junior forward Caleb Moretz after 1:36. Bruce then one-timed a tic-tac-toe pass from Walker and freshman forward Carter Wilkie for a power-play tally with 16:10 on the clock.
Holy Cross got one back on a delayed penalty with 4:38 left in the first on a shot from the right face-off circle by Mike Higgins.
Holy Cross made it a 3-2 game 1:39 into the second period. John Gelatt jumped on the ice after a Crusader power play expired and got loose behind the Tiger defense. Gelatt rang a shot off the cross bar, but teammate Grayson Constable was there to clean up the short rebound.
RIT re-took a 4-2 edge after Walker stole a puck at the top of the Tiger zone during a Holy Cross power play and skated back alone for a short-handed finish under Crusader goaltender Erik Gordon’s glove at 6:01.
Holy Cross pulled back within one after Ryan Leibold lifted a loose puck over Tiger junior goaltender Kolby Matthews’ stick for a power play tally with 11:37 left in regulation.
GAME NOTES
Bruce notched his first two goals of the season.
Matthews made 28 saves to improve to 7-3-2 this season.
Calverley also notched a pair of goals in Friday night’s 3-2 victory over Holy Cross and leads the Tigers with 12 points, including a team-high eight goals.
Wilkie leads all Atlantic Hockey freshmen with 10 points (6 goals, 4 assists) this season.
Walker notched his second short-handed goal of the season after adding one during the 7-3 setback at AIC (Nov. 6) earlier this month.
WHAT’S NEXT
RIT (7-5-2, 5-3-2 AHA) plays a pair of non-conference games at Princeton next Friday and Saturday (Nov. 26-27). Face-off is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. both nights.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].