WORCESTER, Mass. — The Holy Cross men's ice hockey team fell to No. 19/18 RIT, 4-3, in Atlantic Hockey Association action Friday night at the Hart Center Rink.
 
RIT improves to 18-6-1 (14-2-1 AHA), while the Crusaders move to 7-15-3 (6-9-2 AHA).
 
THE GOALTENDERS:

• Crusaders: junior Jason Grande – 6-4-1, 11 saves.
• Tigers: Tommy Scarfone – 16-4-1, 31 saves.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Junior Jack Robilotti opened the scoring just under three minutes into the first period, picking up his first goal of the season. Senior Bobby Young found Robilotti streaking through the slot, handing him a perfect pass that he one-timed into the back of the net.
• RIT responded with a goal of their own thirty seconds later when Philippe Jacques picked off a clearing pass that he fired past Grande for the tying score.
• Sophomore Liam McLinskey sent the Crusaders into the first intermission with the lead after he sent a wide clear off of Scarfone's pads into the almost-empty net. Freshman Mack Oliphant took a shot from the blue line that Scarfone moved to the right of the net for and sent the rebound left, right on to McLinskey's waiting stick.
• RIT scored the lone goal of the second period to tie the game.
• The Tigers took the lead halfway through the third period on a shorthanded goal by Carter Wilkie. Wilkie then extended the Tigers' lead to 4-2 two minutes later on an unassisted strike.
• The Crusaders cut the Tigers' lead to one on a hard-fought goal by junior Alec Cicero. A shot by Oliphant hit Cicero's skate in front of the net, ultimately landing behind the net where junior Jack Ricketts collected the puck. Ricketts handed it off to Cicero, who wrapped around the net and jammed the puck past Scarfone.

 
BEYOND THE BOX:

• Holy Cross held RIT to just one shot over two power play opportunities.
• The Crusaders held the edge in faceoffs, 33-28.
• Seven different skaters recorded points for the Crusaders.

THREE STARS:

• RIT: Carter Wilkie (2 goals, GWG, +2)
• RIT: Aidan Hansen-Bukata (7 blocked shots)
• RIT: Dimitri Mikrogiannakis (2 assists)

UP NEXT:

• The two teams will face off again tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m.
• Saturday will serve as the men's ice hockey Alumni Game. Prior to the matchup there will be a ceremony to honor James Sixsmith '07, who was named to the inaugural Atlantic Hockey Hall of Honor class this fall.

 
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