RIT senior forward Jake Hamacher scored the game-winning goal 35 seconds into overtime in Saturday’s 1-0 victory at Princeton. Head Coach Wayne Wilson earned his 400th career win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
RIT received a power-play opportunity with one minute remaining in regulation after Princeton’s Ian Murphy was whistled for a holding penalty. After a scoreless final minute, RIT started overtime with a 4-on-3 advantage. Cycling the puck around the point, junior forward Caleb Moretz dropped a pass to senior defenseman Dan Willett in the left face-off circle. Willett slid a puck to Hamacher at the point for a one-timer which eluded a crowd in front of the crease and deflected in off the bottom of the right post 35 seconds into extra time.
GAME NOTES
Freshman goaltender Tommy Scarfone totaled 21 saves to preserve the shutout and his first win in an RIT sweater.
Hamacher also scored the first goal and added an assist in RIT’s 5-4 victory over Princeton on Friday. He has scored a goal in three-straight games and four in RIT’s last six outings.
RIT has totaled 10 power-play goals in its last eight games.
RIT played its fifth overtime game of the season while winning its third. RIT earned a 3-2 OT victory at then No. 13 Notre Dame (Oct. 2) before defeating host AIC, 3-2, in OT (Nov. 7). RIT tied host Army, 2-2, before falling, 1-0, in a shootout (Oct. 9) and tied visiting Mercyhurst, 3-3, before winning the shootout, 2-0 (Oct. 29).
RIT recorded its first shutout since blanking host Air Force, 1-0, on Oct. 25, 2019. Hamacher scored what proved to be the game-winning goal with 5:41 left in the second period off an assist from Moretz.
RIT swept the weekend series with Princeton in the first ever meetings between the programs in men’s ice hockey.
RIT is 4-2-0 in non-league games this season.
ABOUT WILSON
Wilson became the 49th NCAA Men’s Hockey coach with 400 wins.
He is currently 48th on the career wins list with a 400-279-75 record (.580 W%)
Wilson is the only coach to be named D1 and D3 National Coach of the Year
He is 16th among active coaches in career victories
Congratulations @w_wilson2 on his 400th career victory.
– 49th NCAA Men’s Hockey coach with 400 wins.
– 48th all-time with a 400-279-75 record (.580 W%)
– Only coach to be named D1 and D3 National Coach of the Year
– 16th among active coaches in career victories pic.twitter.com/MI8rpmya7G— RIT Men's Hockey (@RITMHKY) November 28, 2021
WHAT’S NEXT
RIT is off for the next 12 days before hosting Atlantic Hockey rival Army on Saturday and Sunday (Dec. 11-12) in its only games of the month. Face-off is set for 5:05 p.m. at the Gene Polisseni Center both nights.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].