Men's Hockey shuts out AIC, 3-0

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT first-year goaltender Ethan David totaled 22 saves for his first career shutout to backstop a 3-0 Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) victory over visiting American International, Friday.
 
Sophomore Christian Catalano, graduate student defenseman Dimitri Mikrogiannakis and senior forward Grady Hobbs each tallied a goal for the Tigers.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The teams played nearly 40 scoreless minutes before RIT scored with 12.1 on the second-period clock. Sophomore forward Tyler Fukakusa fought off a defender in the neutral zone and backhanded a pass to sophomore forward Matthew Wilde along the right boards. Wilde one-touched a pass toward the slot for Catalano, who evaded a defender and deked a backhanded shot over Yellow Jacket goaltender Chase Clark's glove.
• RIT made it a 2-0 game at 12:27 of the second after an AIC turnover in the Tiger zone. After blocking a pass at the top of the Tiger zone, junior forward Simon Isabelle came up with the loose puck and sent a cross-ice pass to senior forward Tanner Andrew along the right half boards. Andrew tipped a pass forward to a streaking Mikrogiannakis, who scored on a wrist shot from the right hash marks under Clark's glove.
• Hobbs tacked on a long-distance empty-net goal from the opposite faceoff circle with 32 seconds left in regulation to close the night. 

GAME NOTES

• The Tigers logged their first shutout since a 7-0 victory over visiting Robert Morris (Mar. 8) in last year's Atlantic Hockey Quarterfinals.
• RIT improved to 6-0-1 this season when leading after the second period.
• Fukakusa scored his team-leading 30th point and 23rd assist of the season – both career highs after totaling 28 points (9G/19A) a season ago.
• Wilde tallied his 10th assist of the season and is second for the Tigers with 24 points.
• Catalano netted his sixth goal and 20th point of the season while Hobbs added his fourth goal this winter.
• Mikrogiannakis also netted his fourth goal of the season while knocking down a career-high seven shots after entering the night second in the nation in blocked shots.
• RIT won 38-of 54 faceoffs, led by a 15-of-19 (78.9 W%) performance by Isabelle.
• The Tigers finished with a 30-22 shot advantage while killing three AIC power plays. 

WHAT'S NEXT
RIT hosts AIC on Saturday (Feb. 15) for a rematch moved up to a 6:05 p.m. faceoff – one hour earlier than originally scheduled to accommodate for the wintery weather forecast.