By Tommy Kane

Published: March 16, 2019

Volume III: Issue VI

The #5 RIT Tigers (17-16-4, 15-12-4 AHA) defeated the #4 Sacred Heart Pioneers (16-17-4, 15-13-4 AHA) in the 2019 AHA Quarterfinals at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn.

The Pioneers won game one on Mar. 13, 2019, 9-4. The Tigers took game two on Mar. 14, 2019, 7-3. Finally, the Tigers won the series in game three on Mar. 15, 2019, 3-1.

News and Notes

The Tigers were 1-3 against the Pioneers in the 2018-19 season.

Gabe Valenzuela (F) returned from a grade 2 MCL sprain in his knee. He sustained the injury on Jan. 26, 2019 against Army West Point.

Andrew Petrucci (F) returned in game two after sustaining a knee injury against Robert Morris on Feb. 22, 2019.

Deja Vu, Kinda

The Tigers played the Pioneers on home ice during the first round of the 2018 Atlantic Hockey Association (AHA) Tournament. Unfortunately, it did not go the Tigers’ way, as the team lost the series, 2-1.

Now, the difference is we are traveling to their barn, and it is the second round. Both teams picked up a first-round bye this year, so each team has improved.

Coach Wayne Wilson was not happy with the results from last year’s match, as well as some of the matches against Sacred Heart this year. He spoke as to how the Tigers could beat the Pioneers.

“For us, we need to control their transition,” he said. “They transition very well. We also need to stay out of the box. We are successful in killing off penalties, but once we have to kill more than four, they start capitalizing on it. For us, we need to finish off games. We need to hold onto our leads.”

Wilson finished off stating the Pioneers had a good team as well.

Logan Drackett (G) has been vital to the team. He has a .911 save percentage on the year. He played against Sacred Heart last season during the playoffs. He talked about how can improve heading into the series.

“I think staying consistent through a whole game would help me, as well as making sure my third period is the best period for me. I also have to focus on playing my game and thinking that it is just another game,” he explained.

Erik Brown (F), one of the captains, averaged .79 points a game this season. He has been hot as of late and has been scoring. He was asked how to get others to contribute.

“We got to focus on playing our game. It’s playoff hockey and everyone is going to be excited,” he explained. “If that’s not enough for motivation, I don’t know what is. We are going to elevate their games to the playoff standard. Playing playoff style hockey will get players to contribute and help us win games.”

“If that’s not enough for motivation, I don’t know what is.”

Massacre to Say the Least

RIT Dropped Game One, 9-4

The Tigers and Pioneers did not hesitate to get aggressive early, with both teams getting quality shots off early in the first period of game one.

Jordan Kaplan found the back of the net when the puck bounced off the board and he had an open shot. About a minute later, Vito Bavaro increased the lead by two by tipping the puck into the net on a two-on-one chance.

Midway through the first period, Alden Dupuis (F) cut the lead to one by shooting the puck past Sacred Heart goaltender Josh Benson’s shoulder.

While it looked like RIT would come back to tie, Sacred Heart got back on the board to make it 3-1. Alex Bates got open and put it home.

With about a minute left in the first period, Abbott Girduckis (F) lit the lamp after he corralled a shot off Benson and put it in the net. He cut the lead back down to one.

The Tigers had opportunities early in the second period, but the Pioneers hammered them quick.

Kaplan scored again, once again getting a goal by collecting the puck off the bouncy boards. Austin Magera scored for the Pioneers as well, tipping the puck past Drackett. The 5-2 Pioneers lead called for a Tiger goalie change, bringing in Ian Andriano (G).

Late in the second period, Andriano retrieved the puck behind the Tiger net, but he couldn’t handle it. Matt Tugnutt took advantage of the opportunity and wrapped it in for a 6-2 lead. Ryan Steele also scored to make it 7-2.

Christian Short (G) replaced Andriano in the third period but allowed a goal scored by Marc Johnstone just 18 seconds in.

To add insult to injury, Tugnutt scored a short-handed goal to give the Pioneers a commanding 9-2 lead.

Dupuis and Nick Bruce (F) scored for the Tigers late in the third. Sacred Heart took game one, 9-4. The Tigers had 27 shots, while the Pioneers had 31 shots. In terms of the powerplay, RIT had two opportunities but couldn’t score. Sacred Heart did not have any powerplay opportunities. In the Tiger net, Drackett saved 13 of 18 (.722) shots and Benson stopped 23 of 27 (.852) shots for the Pioneers.

The Other Way Around

RIT Counters and Takes Game Two

The Tigers came into game two knowing they had to come out with a result to continue their season. Wearing their black jerseys, they popped out to a 1-0 lead midway through the first stanza. Shawn Cameron (F) scored on a two-on-one chance.

The Tigers scored the next two goals of the first period. Ryan Kruper (F) lit the lamp with a wicked back-hander, while Chris McKay (D) scored his first goal of the season by firing the puck from the point. Sacred Heart swapped out Benson for Brett Magnus after the Tigers raced to a 3-0 lead.

RIT continued to roar and ride on the momentum from the first period. Dupuis and Cameron both scored arguably game-ending goals to give RIT a commanding 5-0 lead.

In the last minute of the second period, Bates got the first goal for the Pioneers, but the Tigers led after the second, 5-1.

Sacred Heart started the third period with some fire. Steele got on a breakaway and put the puck between Drackett’s legs, cutting the lead to three.

Todd Goehring made the game interesting halfway through the third period by jamming the puck into the Tiger net. He made the score become 5-3.

Jake Hamacher (F) finally put the icing on the cake for the Tigers on the powerplay, tucking the puck home.

An empty netter by Adam Brubacher (D) gave the Tigers a 7-3 win in game two. The Tigers put up only 24 shots to the Pioneers’ 39 shots. In terms of the powerplay, RIT had five chances and scored on one, while Sacred Heart couldn’t convert on any of their six powerplay chances. In the Tiger net, Drackett saved 36 of 39 (.923) shots, and Magnus stopped 14 of 17 (.824) shots for the Pioneers.

Capping Off in the Third

Jake Hamacher Scores the Game-Winner and Sends the Tigers to the Semis

The winner-take-all game started off strong for the Pioneers. Just two minutes into the first period, Jason Cotton put his team on the board first.

The lone first-period goal was challenged for offsides but stood. RIT lost their timeout as a result.

Sacred Heart hammered RIT with shots in the early going of the second period, but the Tigers eventually got a powerplay opportunity and made the most of it.

Brown got the tip midway through the second off Dan Willett’s (D) stick. The Tigers tied it on the powerplay, 1-1.

Both teams went back and forth for the duration of the second period, but no one was able to get the edge when the horn sounded.

The third period also swung to both ends. RIT had to kill two huge penalties back-to-back.

In the final minutes of the match, Hamacher scored the game-winning goal by getting open in the slot and firing a wrister past Magnus. He then scored an empty-net goal after Sacred Heart pulled Magnus.

The Tigers won the game, 3-1, and will advance to Buffalo, N.Y. for the semifinals. The Tigers had 21 shots and the Pioneers had 32 shots. In terms of the powerplay, RIT had two chances and scored on one. Sacred Heart had three opportunities, but couldn’t score. In the Tiger net, Drackett saved 31 of 32 (.969) shots and Magnus stopped 18 of 20 (.900) shots.

Moving On to the Final Four

With the series win, the Tigers will travel to Buffalo, N.Y. for the semifinals of the 2019 AHA Tournament.

They will play on Mar. 22, 2019 against a team to be determined. The final will take place on Mar. 23, 2019. All games will be at the HarborCenter. All times are TBD at the moment. Check social media or follow @theAAEBlog on Twitter for updates!

GO TIGERS!

Stats

Game One

Game Two

Game Three