By Tommy Kane

Published: January 26th, 2020

Chapter 12: Frozen in Time

Tiger News and Notes

Prior to the series, RIT was 23-17-2 against the Golden Griffins.

This is the second and final series the two will play in the 2019-2020 regular season.

Will Calverley (F) was out due to a knee injury

The 2009-2010 Final Four Team was commemorated on Jan. 25, 2019.

The RIT Tigers (13-10-3, 9-6-3 AHA) swept the Canisius Golden Griffins (6-14-4, 5-9-4 AHA) on Jan. 24, and Jan. 25, 2020. The first game was won by a score of 7-4, and the second game was won by a score of 5-4.

The games were played at the HarborCenter in Buffalo, NY., and the Gene Polisseni Center, respectively.

Facing Canisius Again

The Tigers faced the Canisius Golden Griffins for the second series of the season. In the first series, the Tigers tied the first game and lost the second.

Shawn Cameron (F) commented on how the team could play better.

“We had four non-conference games, so we had to step our game up,” stressed Cameron. “I think we learned a lot from these games, so I think if we can play the same game and put in the same effort, we will raise the bar and win. We matched their [Canisius] intensity last time, and that’s why we lost.”

The first series took place on Jan. 3 and Jan. 4, 2020.

The Coach’s Corner

Head Coach, Wayne Wilson, was asked about how the team preps for home-and-home series and he gave us some insight. A home-and-home series is when each team plays at home on back-to-back days.

“Really, we don’t do anything different. The preparation of our team-play is the same, regardless of location,” he explained. “We set an itinerary so the players know when we are leaving that day. Other than that, we look at their strengths and weaknesses.”

Coach went on to explain that Canisius’s powerplay was something to take notice of, and the team had to learn from the mistakes sustained in the first series.

Fixing Things Up

Tigers Celebrate After a Goal

The first game of the series started off rough for the Tigers, as Nick Hutchison scored a wrap-around goal within the first five minutes of the game.

RIT then took a penalty a few minutes later, but that didn’t stop them from capitalizing. Alden Dupuis (F) stole the puck and shot it into the open net. His short-handed goal knotted the game at one.

Then, at the end of the penalty, Regan Seiferling (D) came out of the box and got on the breakaway. He was then able to fire the puck past Golden Griffins goalie, Jacob Barczewski, giving the Tigers a 2-1 lead halfway through the first stanza.

The Tigers continued the momentum through the second period, scoring three goals in just the first ten minutes.

Elijah Gonsalves (F) scored the third Tiger goal, which was on the powerplay. Chris McKay (D) fired a wicked one-timer past Barczewski to make it 4-1. Lastly, halfway through the period, Jake Joffe (F) tallied the fifth Tiger goal.

Joffe’s goal, as well as all of the offensive firepower, triggered a goalie change for Canisius, as Matt Ladd came in for relief of the struggling Barczewski.

The Golden Griffins, though, were able to get two back before the period expired. Ryan Miotto cashed in on a 2-on-0 opportunity, giving Tiger netminder, Logan Drackett. no chance to stop the puck. Austin Alger also scored, cutting the Tiger lead to just two.

Although they allowed two straight goals, RIT got back on the board and re-took the momentum. Colton Trumbla (F) tipped the puck past Ladd and increased the Tiger lead early in the third period.

Two more goals were scored in the game, one from each team. Matt Hoover scored on the powerplay for the Golden Griffins, and Cameron scored for the Tigers.

The Tigers won, 7-4. The Tigers had 30 shots, while the Golden Griffins had 36 shots. In terms of the powerplay, RIT scored on one of two opportunities and Canisius scored on one of five opportunities. In the Tiger net, Drackett saved 32 of 36 (.889) shots. In the Golden Griffin net, Barczewski stopped 14 of 19 (.737) shots and Ladd stopped 9 of 11 (.818) shots.

Magical Comeback

Kobe Walker on the Breakaway that Led to his Goal

The second game started much like the first game for the Tigers. Miotto scored early on the powerplay, putting RIT down, 1-0.

About 14 seconds later, the Tigers rebounded and scored the tying goal. Ryan Kruper (F) cashed in with a wrister that went passed Barczewski.

Despite a valiant effort by the Tigers in the first period, as they got shots on net, Derek Hamelin scored on a tight angle shot, giving the Golden Griffins the lead early in the second period.

Momentum then shifted in Canisius’s favor. They scored two more goals in the period and RIT could barely find any puck possession or opportunity. David Baskerville and Hoover gave the Golden Griffins a 4-1 lead after the second.

The Tigers looked tired, and hope seemed to be lost. Nonetheless, the Tigers scored four straight in the third period to win the game in regulation.

In the span of fewer than four minutes, Gonsalves found a pass and scored on the open net, Cameron scored a quick one that shocked the entire Tiger crowd, Gonsalves scored again, this time on a rebound, and Kobe Walker (F) got on the breakaway and scored the game-winner.

Canisius pulled their netminder, but they were unable to get one back. The Tigers won, 5-4.

The Tigers had 34 shots, while the Golden Griffins had 25. In terms of the powerplay, RIT couldn’t score on any of their four chances and Canisius scored on one of six chances. In the Tiger net, Drackett saved 21 of 25 (.840) shots. In the Golden Griffin net, Barczewski stopped 29 of 34 (.853) shots.

Two Week Road Stand

The Tigers will be on the road for the next two weekends.

They will be heading to Worcester, MA., to face the Holy Cross Crusaders (8-12-5, 7-10-5 AHA) on Jan. 31, and Feb. 1, 2020, at 7:05 PM EST.

Following that weekend, RIT will go to Moon Township, PA., to play the Robert Morris Colonials (9-12-3, 9-8-3 AHA) on Feb. 7, and Feb. 8, 2020, at 7:05 EST.

GO TIGERS!

Game One Stats Against Canisius

Game Two Stats Against Canisius