ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT senior defender Chris McKay (Edmonton, Alberta/Sherwood Park Crusaders) broke a 3-3 tie with 2:39 left in regulation as the Tigers earned a 5-3 victory over visiting Air Force, Saturday, in Atlantic Hockey action.

Paired with AIC's 4-1 victory over Army in the night's other action, RIT (19-13-4, 15-9-4 AHA) moved up to the third seed for the Atlantic Hockey Tournament and will host a best-of-three series against an opponent to be determined on March 13-15.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Air Force got on the board in the final minute of the first period. Freshman forward Willie Reim took a feed from freshman defenseman Brandon Koch on a right-wing rush and scored between Tiger junior goalie Ian Andriano's (Barrie, Ontario/Ottawa Jr. Senators) pads with 57.5 on the clock.

pads with 57.5 on the clock. RIT took a 2-1 lead with a pair of early second-period goals. Sophomore forward Will Calverley (Scarborough, Ontario/Chilliwack Chiefs) took a feed from sophomore forward Kobe Walker (Lloydminster, Alberta/Lloydminster Bobcats) in the left face-off circle and clanged a goal off the bottom of the cross bar with 15:30 on the clock. Just 1:32 later, senior defenseman Adam Brubacher (Elmira, Ontario/Powell River Kings) sent a long feed out of the Tiger zone to senior forward Ryan Kruper (Sherwood Park, Alberta/Sherwood Park Crusaders) down the right wing, who snapped a wrist shot into the top-left corner of the Falcon goal.

took a feed from sophomore forward in the left face-off circle and clanged a goal off the bottom of the cross bar with 15:30 on the clock. Just 1:32 later, senior defenseman sent a long feed out of the Tiger zone to senior forward down the right wing, who snapped a wrist shot into the top-left corner of the Falcon goal. Air Force evened the score, 2-2, with a power-play goal after freshman defenseman Brandon Koch scored on a wrist shot from the point with 3:41 left in the second period.

RIT re-took the lead with 11:50 left in the third period. Skating on a power play following a five-minute major and a game misconduct on the Falcons, Brubacher took a shot from the point that deflected to freshman forward Caleb Moretz (Fairbanks, AK/Flin Flon Bombers) on the left flank, who scored on a tough-angle wrist-shot.

on the left flank, who scored on a tough-angle wrist-shot. However, Air Force responded with a short-handed goal 1:14 later. Sophomore forward Ty Pochipinski knocked a puck down in front of the Falcon goal and found freshman forward Luke Manning in the neutral zone, who skated into the Tiger slot and beat Andriano with a wrist shot that re-tied the game, 3-3, with 10:36 on the clock.

RIT retook the lead for good after senior forward Shawn Cameron (Sherbrooke, Quebec/Cumberland Grads) found McKay speeding down the right wing. McKay jammed a shot on goal that found Air Force sophomore goalie Alex Schiling's pads, but trickled over the goal line with less than three minutes to play in regulation.

found McKay speeding down the right wing. McKay jammed a shot on goal that found Air Force sophomore goalie Alex Schiling's pads, but trickled over the goal line with less than three minutes to play in regulation. Cameron sealed the victory with an empty-net goal with 1:16 remaining.

GAME NOTES

RIT allowed a season-low 16 shots on goal as Andriano totaled 13 saves to earn his first victory of the season. It was also the fewest shots the Tigers had allowed since holding Canisius to 12 shots in a 2-0 victory on January 20, 2018.

RIT clinched its highest seed for the Atlantic Hockey Tournament since 2015 when the third-seeded Tigers went on to win the championship. RIT also finished runner-up as the third seed in 2012.

The Tigers honored its seven members of the Class of 2020 in a Senior Day ceremony prior to the game. McKay, Brubacher, Kruper, Cameron, senior defenseman Brody Valette (Calgary, Alberta/Whitecourt Wolverines) , senior defenseman Darren Brady (Lake Orion, MI/New Jersey Titans) and senior forward Jordan Peacock (Burlington, Ontario/Burlington Cougars) were recognized on the ice before their final regular-season appearance at the Polisseni Center.

WHAT'S NEXT

RIT awaits the highest-remaining seed following the three first-round match-ups next week (March 6-8). Sixth-seeded Air Force hosts 11th-seeded Mercyhurst, seventh-seeded Robert Morris hosts 10th-seeded Holy Cross and eighth-seeded Bentley hosts ninth-seeded Canisius. Defending champion AIC earned the top seed and joins second-seeded Sacred Heart and the third-seeded Tigers in a first-round bye. Fourth seeded Army and fifth-seeded Niagara also earned a bye before the Black Knights host the Purple Eagles in the quarterfinals (March 13-15).