Men's Hockey defeats Robert Morris, 4-3, in OT

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT sophomore forward Christian Catalano scored the overtime game-winning goal in the Tigers 4-3 victory over visiting Robert Morris, Saturday, in Atlantic Hockey America action.
 
Junior defenseman Xavier Lapointe added two goals while first-year forward Ty Whyte notched his first two collegiate points with a goal and an assist.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• RIT scored a pair of goals for a 2-0 first-period lead. Lapointe scored on drive from the left point over RMU goaltender Croix Kochendorfer's left shoulder at 4:01 before Whyte stole a puck in front of the Colonial goal and jammed a backhand inside the right post at 13:22.
• Robert Morris got one back with 3.3 seconds left in the first after Michael Felsing dug a puck out of the left corner to Tanner Klimpke in the slot, who backhanded a shot inside the right post.  
• The Colonials tied the game with a second-period power play goal following a Tiger interference penalty. Klimpke dropped a pass in the left faceoff circle to Mitch Deelstra, who scored on a wrist shot over first-year goaltender Ethan David's left shoulder at 3:50.
• RIT answered with its own power play tally after a RMU cross check. Sophomore forward Matthew Wilde took a shot from low in the right faceoff circle that deflected off the right post to sophomore forward Tyler Fukakusa in the left faceoff circle. Fukakusa slid a pass across the slot to Lapointe, who whipped a wrist shot over a screened Kochendorfer at 8:34 of the second.
• RMU tied the game with the lone goal of the third period. Cameron Garvey won a faceoff to the left of the Tiger goal before J.R. Ashmead threw a shot on goal that missed outside the left post. Garvey collected the rebound behind the net and wrapped a shot around the left post at 6:02.
• In the 3-on-3 overtime, Allen took a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle that hit a Robert Morris player in the back and fell into the left slot. Catalano jumped on the rebound and scored on a shot over Kochendorfer with 2:46 on the clock. 

GAME NOTES

• Lapointe logged his first career two-goal game and third-career multi-point game.
• Whyte became the 17th RIT player to score a goal this season and 22nd Tiger to score a point.
• Fukakusa extended a team-best eight-game point-scoring streak. Entering the day tops in Atlantic Hockey in scoring and assists, he currently leads the Tigers with 21 points and 16 assists.
• Catalano scored a point in his fifth-consecutive game while notching his third career game-winning goal. He is tied for second on the squad with 14 points (4G/10A).
• Wilde scored a point in his third-straight game and is tied for second on the team with 14 points - all scored over the Tigers' last 11 games.
• Both teams finished with 27 shots while David totaled 24 saves to backstop his first victory in a Tiger sweater. 

WHAT'S NEXT
RIT is off for three weeks before traveling to Bowling Green on Saturday, Dec. 29, for a 3:00 p.m. rematch with the Falcons. The Tigers fell, 2-1, in overtime to Bowling Green on Oct. 19th in a game played at Blue Cross Arena during Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend.