Men's Hockey | 10/11/2012 8:18:00 PM

Box Score Box Score

ANN ARBOR, MI -- Senior Adam Hartley (West Vancouver, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) scored 14 seconds into overtime to give the RIT men's hockey team (1-0-0) a dramatic 5-4 come-from-behind win over No. 3 University of Michigan from Yost Ice Arena on Thursday evening. RIT trailed 3-0 late in the first period and 4-2 midway through the third period before scoring the game's final three goals.

Just 14 seconds into the extra session, Hartley poked home a loose puck in front of the Michigan net, between the legs of goaltender Jared Rutledge, for the win over the Wolverines. Dan Schuler (Webster, NY/Powell River Kings) and Bryan Potts (Niagara Falls, Ontario/Markham Waxers) had the assists on the play. Potts sent a shot on goal that Rutledge stopped, but he left a juicy rebound that Hartley potted for his 29th career goal, arguably his biggest as a Tiger.

Michigan out-shot RIT 44-26. Junior netminder Josh Watson (Lititz, PA/Powell River Kings) stopped 40 shots, including 28-of-29 over the final two periods.  Rutledge made 21 saves in the loss. Michigan was 2-for-7 on the power-play, while RIT was 0-for-5.

"I thought it was gritty effort tonight," said RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson. "We were on our heels a little bit in the first period, but came on strong as the game wore on."

The Wolverines jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first 19 minutes before Josh Mitchell (Osoyoos, British Columbia/Alberni Valley Bulldogs)'s goal with 54 seconds to play in the opening period cut the lead to 3-1. Mitchell jammed home a rebound between the post and Rutledge's skate for his first collegiate goal. Brad McGowan (Langley, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) and Brad Reid (Delta, British Columbia/Coquitlam Express) had the assists on the play. McGowan fired a shot towards the net that was stopped, but Mitchell slammed the rebound home.

Michigan scored 2:16 into the opening period on a goal by Derek DeBlois. The Wolverines capitalized on a defensive lapse by the Tigers deep in their own zone. Lindsay Sparks fed DeBlois across the RIT goal mouth and he one-timed a shot into the open net.

Mac Bennett made it 2-0 Michigan on a slap shot from the point with the Wolverines on a 5-on-3 power play. He blasted a one-timer off a pass from Jacob Trouba that beat RIT goalie Josh Watson (Lititz, PA/Powell River Kings) to the glove side. Watson was partially screened on the play.

Trouba scored a wrap-around goal with 1:23 to play in the period beating Watson to the post on a seemingly innocent play.

RIT came out and played a much better second period, generating several good scoring chances. Jeff Smith (Spokane, WA/Tri-City Storm) had a partial breakaway midway through the period after leaving the penalty box, firing a shot off the shoulder of Rutledge.

Alexander Kuqali (Pittsburgh, PA/Sioux City Musketeers) had a chance late in the period. Andrew Miller (Chicago, IL/Chicago Steel) kept the puck in the Wolverine's zone and fed Kuqali who joined the play. He fired a shot just wide of the net.

The Tigers generated two really good chances late in the period on the power play. Ben Lynch (Blaine, MN/Lincoln Stars) and Brad Shumway (Lafayette, CO/Chicago Steel) each had shots on goal that were turned asisde by Rutledge.

RIT scored three goals in the third period, and some clutch goaltending by Watson kept RIT in the game.

Chris Saracino (St. Louis, MO/Green Bay Gamblers) cut the Wolverines lead to 3-2 just 3:31 into the third when he slapped home a loose puck for his first of the season.

Travis Lynch made it 4-2 Michigan at 5:50 of the third when he scored off a miscue by the Tigers defense deep in the RIT zone. He gathered the loose puck and beat Watson cleanly for a two-goal Michigan lead.

Eliot Raibl (Vancouver, British Columbia/Quesnel Millionaires) made it a one-goal game at 9:08 of the third when placed a hard wrist shot over the left shoulder of Rutledge. Adam Mitchell (Crofton, MD/Baystate Breakers) got the assist keeping the puck alive in the corner and finding Raibl with the pass.

Greg Noyes (Lucan, Ontario/Salmon Arm Silverbacks) tied the score at 4-4 at 15:20 of the final period with a backhanded shot from the slot off assists from Jeff Smith (Spokane, WA/Tri-City Storm) and Adam Mitchell (Crofton, MD/Baystate Breakers).

Michigan generated some good chances down the stretch. The Wolverines broke in 2-on-1 short handed on Watson in the final two minutes, but the junior netminder made two huge saves keeping the game tied. Smith made two big blocks off of blasts from Wolverines with RIT on the penalty kill late in the game that proved to be one of the turning points of the game.

Tonight's game was the first between the two schools. Michigan is the second highest ranked team that RIT has defeated in its Division I era. RIT defeated Denver, who was ranked second nationally, on March 26, 2010 in the NCAA Tournament. RIT is now 4-3-0 against CCHA teams in the Division I era. This marks the eighth consecutive season that RIT has defeated a nationally ranked squad.

These two teams face-off again on Friday, October 12 at 7:35 p.m. at Yost Ice Arena.