Michael Tucciarone scored a single-game career high four goals for RIT and led the Tigers to a 13-2 victory over Neumann College. The Tigers got on the board early into the first period, and then rolled from there.
“They are a fast and good team, aren’t they?” said Neumann coach Nick Russo.
Michael Tarantino scored 1:21 into the game, one-timing a feed from David Bagley behind the net. RIT kept the momentum rolling, but weren’t able to tally again until a pair of power play goals midway through the period.
Tucciarone opened his scoring deluge at the 7:46 mark. Tarantino slid the puck from the left boards across the face off dot and found Tucciarone alone in the slot. Tucciarone one-timed the puck past Neumann netminder Mike Billingsley for the power play goal.
Four minutes later, Mike Bournazakis added another power play goal for RIT and it was off to the races. By the end of the period, RIT had staked a 5-1 lead on the scoreboard.
Neumann’s lone goal of the period came with just over four minutes remaining. The Knights opened up their play a little bit, and started skating end-to-end with RIT. This created their scoring chance, and Mike Burns slapped in a rebound for the Neumann score.
“Our guys were a little surprised with how physical Neumann was,” said RIT coach Wayne Wilson. “I guess our guys thought Neumann would just roll over. When they started hitting, our guys were taken back a little with it. I was glad to see Neumann fight back. It was a good sign for their program.”
The Knights came out in the second period with a more up-tempo style that emphasized checking. This put RIT on its heels a little bit, and the game flowed up and down the ice. Tiger Brent Macovi scored his first collegiate goal, a shorthanded one, early in the second period.
Neumann tried to keep pace, scoring a goal of its own. Joe Sidman sent a blast from the point that eluded RIT netminder Tyler Euverman for the goal.
RIT answered right back, just 27 seconds later at 7:54, when Brent Macovi scored his second goal of the night. That deflated Neumann, and it was the RIT scoring show after that.
The Tigers scored three more goals in the remainder of the second period, and scattered three throughout the third period, on the way to the victory.
