ROCHESTER, N.Y. Sophomore Austin Orszulak (Springfield, Mass.) became the national leader by himself with his 15th goal of the season, but it was not enough as the American International College men's ice hockey team dropped a 3-2 decision at the hands of the Rochester Institute of Technology in Atlantic Hockey play tonight at the Gene Polisseni Center.
RIT (6-10-4, 5-5-4 AHC) wasted little time getting on the scoreboard in the first as senior Matt Garbowsky (St. George, Ont.) caused a neutral zone turnover and feed the puck to junior Josh Mitchell (Osoyoos, B.C.) resulting in an odd man rush and Mitchell easily found the open side of the net for the 1-0 score just 17 seconds into the game.
The Tigers expanded that lead to 2-0 when sophomore Andrew Miller (Chicago, Ill.), never giving up on the play, shoved home his own rebound at 2:06 of the first period.
The Jackets (3-16-5, 3-8-5 AHC) cut the deficit in half as freshman Johno May (Mahtomedi, Minn.) freed the puck up along the end boards behind the Tiger net where it was collected by senior Alexander MacMillan (Calgary, Alb.) and he fed the puck in front where it found the ever dangerous stick of Orszulak and he lit the lamp at 4:17.
In the second RIT made the score 3-1 when sophomore Garrett McMullen (Churchville, N.Y.) sounded the horn with help from freshman classmates Max Mikowski (Cheekotwaga, N.Y.) and Brady Norrish (Strongfield, Sk.) at 4:43.
AIC just missed a goal at 12:43 of the second period as junior Chris Porter (Stoufville, Ont.) rang iron keeping the deficit at a pair after two periods of play.
The Yellow Jackets had a good look with just under ten minutes remaining in regulation as freshman Bryant Christian (Moorhead, Minn.) dropped the puck in front of the net, but sophomore Carson Grolla's (Trail, B.C.) quick shot five-hole attempt was smothered and the score remained 3-1.
Senior Matt Cassidy (London, Ont.) did cut the deficit in half with a back-handed shot that squeaked five-hole with an assist to May for the 3-2 score at 16:58.
However, that was as close as it got as the Tigers held off a 6-on-5 over the final 38 seconds to edge the Jackets and grab a crucial two points in the standings.
Freshman Alex Murray (Burlington, Ont.) made 37 saves and fell to 2-9-4 on the season while RIT sophomore Mike Rotolo (Rochester, N.Y.) stopped 14 pucks and improved to 2-5-0 with the victory.
The Tigers outshot the Jackets 40-16 and neither team converted with the man advantage as AIC was 0-for-2 and RIT 0-for-1.
The Yellow Jackets continue their road swing next week as they travel to Pennsylvania to battle conference leading Robert Morris in a two game set before returning to the Olympia Ice Center for a three week home stretch. Both games next weekend are 7:05 p.m. starts.
