{"id":146393,"date":"2024-03-23T22:12:06","date_gmt":"2024-03-24T03:12:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-admin.uscho.com\/?p=146393"},"modified":"2024-04-09T15:47:19","modified_gmt":"2024-04-09T20:47:19","slug":"gonsalves-wilde-each-score-twice-as-rit-defeats-aic-wins-atlantic-hockey-playoff-title-secures-automatic-bid-to-ncaa-tournament","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp-admin.uscho.com\/2024\/03\/23\/gonsalves-wilde-each-score-twice-as-rit-defeats-aic-wins-atlantic-hockey-playoff-title-secures-automatic-bid-to-ncaa-tournament\/","title":{"rendered":"Gonsalves, Wilde each score twice as No. 18 RIT defeats AIC, wins Atlantic Hockey playoff title, secures automatic bid to NCAA tournament"},"content":{"rendered":"
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RIT players and fans celebrate winning the 2024 Atlantic Hockey championship (photo: Omar Phillips).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

ROCHESTER, N.Y. —<\/strong> Elijah Gonsalves and Matthew Wilde each scored a pair of goals to lead Rochester Institute of Technology to a 5-2 victory over American International in the Atlantic Hockey championship game to claim the Jack Riley Trophy.<\/p>\n

RIT went wire to wire to capture the regular-season and playoff titles for its fourth playoff championship and first since the Tigers went back-to-back in 2015-16.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a really, really good hockey team,\u201d said AIC coach Eric Lang. \u201cThey carried the flag from Day 1 and they’re going to be a great representative for Atlantic Hockey coming into the (NCAA) tournament.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was certainly another tough game against AIC,\u201d added RIT coach Wayne Wilson. \u201cOur penalty killing was outstanding, and then when our power play got its opportunities, we capitalized quickly there as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Yellow Jackets got on the board early, quieting the sellout crowd of 4,300 at RIT\u2019s Gene Polisseni Center. Jordan Biro took a stretch pass from Austen Long and scored on the breakaway, putting the puck between the legs of RIT net minder Tommy Scarfone just 4:06 into the game.<\/p>\n

The Tigers got the next two goals to take the lead. Dimitri Mikrogiannakis\u2019 shot from the half wall deflected off a defender\u2019s skate to make it 1-1 at 11:56 of the first, and Gonsalves got his first of the game, putting home a rebound off the pads of AIC goalie Nils Wallstrom two minutes later.<\/p>\n

But the Yellow Jackets tied it with 1:01 left in the first frame when Biro got his second of the contest, off a defender in front.<\/p>\n

\n

I'll have whatever Mikrogiannakis has been having the last two weeks. https:\/\/t.co\/8cgfOIkACq<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/NIZ6i6yjwj<\/a><\/p>\n

— RIT Men's Hockey (@RITMHKY) March 24, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n