Men's Hockey Edged By RIT, 4-3

	1^st	2^nd	3^rd	Final
Holy Cross	1	0	2	3
RIT	0	3	1	4

Box Score

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Holy Cross men's hockey team was edged by RIT, 4-3, on Friday night at the Hart Center. Michael Laffin tallied one goal and one assist in the game. Holy Cross moves 6-17-4 and 6-12-3 in league play and RIT improves 13-11-3 and 11-7-3 in Atlantic Hockey.

The Crusaders jumped to an early lead after scoring in transition just over six minutes into the opening frame. Holy Cross outshot RIT, 8-5, in the first period and the Crusaders blocked six shots to keep RIT off the board.

RIT found the back of the net three times in the second period to take a 3-1 lead. The Tigers outshout the Crusaders 15-11 in the middle period.

The Crusaders battled back in the third period, pushing the game to 3-2 early in the final frame. RIT extended their lead shortly after the Crusader goal to push the game to 4-2. With just over two minutes remaining, Holy Cross pulled Erik Gordon and scored on a six-on-five offensive zone faceoff.

Gordon finished the game with 23 saves.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

1-0 HC (1^st– 6:36, EV): In transition, Bryce Dolan sent a stretch breakout pass to Ryan Leibold, who stickhandled the puck over the offensive blue line and dropped the puck to Pete Kessel on the far wing. Kessel let go of a low shot that snuck through RIT's Logan Drackett's five-hole.

1-1 RIT (2^nd – 5:10, PP): Dan Willet scored as the Tigers worked the puck up and around the blue line on the power play. Willet fired a slap shot from the blue line, just off the boards, to beat Gordon.

2-1 RIT (2^nd – 9:12, EV): From just above the crease, Nick Bruce tipped a point shot from Adam Brubacher in.

3-1 RIT (2^nd – 11:27, EV): Zach Solloum took a point shot through traffic.

3-2 HC (3^rd – 6:58, EV): After an offensive zone faceoff win, Neil Robinson picked up the puck and circled behind the goal. Robinson found Michael Laffin in the slot for a one-time goal.

4-2 RIT (3^rd – 8:13, EV): Jordan Peacock rushed in alone on Gordon and Gordon made the initial save byt the puck was left above the goal line and Will Calverly tapped it in.

4-3 HC (3^rd – 17:37, EV EA): With Gordon pulled, Laffin won the faceoff back to Mitch Collett at the top of the circle. Collett circled to the high slot and sent in a low wrist shot.

NOTES & NUMBERS:

Bryce Dolan recorded his first collegiate point, assisting on the Crusaders first goal.
Pete Kessel scored his first goal of the 2018-19 season.
Michael Laffin record one goal and one assist to lead the team. He now shares the team lead in goals, with seven.
The Crusaders outshot the Tiger, 31-27.

UP NEXT:

Holy Cross will finish the series with RIT on Feb. 9 at 7:05 p.m. at the Hart Center.