The RIT power play continued on its roll Friday night, going 4-for-4 in a 8-3 victory over Colby in the first round of the Plattsburgh Pepsi Cardinal Classic.
Colby came out in the first period and played good defensive hockey, but the Tigers took advantage of an early power play to gain the lead 4:57 into the game. Captain Jerry Galway took a shot from the left faceoff circle that White Mule goaltender J.D. Hadiaris got a piece of, but the puck trickled over the line for the 1-0 RIT lead.
RIT enjoyed a territorial advantage throughout most of the first period, outshooting Colby 19-7. Sam Hill scored for the Tigers at 12:21 from almost the exact same spot as Galway’s earlier goal. RIT’s Jonathan Day tallied from in close just 29 seconds later, and the Tigers were on the roll with a 3-0 lead.
Colby took advantage of an RIT mistake at 16:29 to get on the board with a shorthanded goal. Tiger netminder Tyler Euverman tried to forward the puck up to neutral ice to start a breakout, but Colby’s leadings scorer James LaLiberty intercepted the pass at the RIT blue line. LaLiberty made a nifty move around RIT’s Hill in the slot and slid the puck in to the net to make the score 3-1.
RIT got the three-goal lead back later on the same power play. Ryan Fairbarn notched a goal at 16:48, and the first period ended with RIT holding onto the 4-1 lead.
RIT’s power play continued to click along, as it has all season, reaching the stratosphere at 52 percent after going 4-for-4 in this game.
“The power play just keeps rolling,” RIT coach Wayne Wilson said. “We push them in practice and they do the same incredible things there. I don’t want to tamper with what they are doing on the ice.”
The Tigers got two more quick goals early in the second period to build the lead. Mike Tarantino scored at 2:15, and Errol McDonald collected a rebound on the doorstep for another tally at 2:38 for a 6-1 lead.
Peter Bournazakis scored the Tigers third power-play goal of the night at 10:53 on a wrist shot from mid slot.
Colby answered back with a power-play goal of its own at 13:27. Marc McEwen sent a slap shot from the point that beat Euverman low.
Colby cut the lead again midway through the third period at 9:22. Netminder Euverman came out to challenge White Mule Sean O’Grady in the slot, but O’Grady beat him low on the stick side for the goal. That was the end of the night for Euverman as Wilson replaced him with Rob Boope.
The Tigers finished off the scoring for the night at 12:21 with their fourth power-play goal. Shawn Wilkins passed from the point to Peter Bournazakis waiting on the doorstep. Bournazakis crammed it home for the goal and the score was 8-3.
