RIT freshman forward Grady Hobbs logged a goal and an assist to lead the Tigers to a 3-2 victory over visiting Sacred Heart, Tuesday, in Atlantic Hockey action.
RIT opened a 2-0 first-period lead. RIT senior forward Jake Hamacher skated down the right-wing boards and centered a puck in the slot to Hobbs, who slipped a shot between Sacred Heart goalie Luke Lush’s pads with 12:52 on the clock.
Less than three minutes later, Tiger senior defenseman Gianfranco Cassaro beat a defender to a loose puck in the left face-off circle and deked a Pioneer defender outside the left post to feed senior forward Kobe Walker in the slot for a finish over Lush’s glove with 10:26 remaining.
RIT built a 3-0 lead in the second on a wrist shot from the left slot by senior forward Nick Bruce with 6:24 on the clock.
Sacred Heart scored a pair of third-period tallies, starting with a wrist shot in the slot by Ryan Steel with 16:33 on the clock. The Pioneers later pulled Lush with 2:41 left in regulation before Andrius Kulbis-Marino scored off a feed from Neil Shea with 1:22 remaining.
Junior goaltender Kolby Matthews was credited with 37 saves in the victory, including 17 in the first period, as Sacred Heart out-shot RIT, 39-29.
Freshman forward Carter Wilkie tied senior forward Will Calverley for the team lead with his eighth assist of the season on Hobbs’ opening goal.
Hamacher’s assist was his sixth point in RIT’s last five games and his team-leading 94th career point.
Hobbes notched his first career multi-point game.
RIT hosts Arizona State for two games this Friday and Saturday (Jan. 14-15) at 7:05 p.m. and 5:05 p.m., respectively.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].