ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Once again, it was the Matt Garbowsky night at the Gene Polisseni Center.
After going pointless in the last two games, Garbowsky scored twice, his 12th and 13th of the season, in a 2:24 span in the second period to propel the Rochester Institute of Technology to a 4-1 victory over Niagara.
“He’s our captain and it’s showing more than any other time,” RIT coach Wayne Wilson said. “When we need goals, when we need to be ignited, when we need to get things done, he gets it done.”
“They took it to us,” Niagara coach Dave Burkholder said. “From start to finish, they were the bigger, faster, better team.”
The game turned around in the second period when the Tigers scored three times to take a 3-1 lead, outshooting Niagara 23-11.
“We had a good second period,” Wilson said. “We were getting chances. We were getting pucks to the net. We had them on their heels. A very good checking period.”
“They got those two quick goals, and we didn’t have any answers,” Burkholder said.
[photoshelter-gallery g_id=”G0000k4vtU7SsnhM” g_name=”20141212-Niagara-RIT-Phillips” f_show_caption=”t” f_show_slidenum=”t” img_title=”casc” pho_credit=”iptc” f_link=”t” f_bbar=”t” fsvis=”f” width=”500″ height=”375″ bgcolor=”#AAAAAA” bgtrans=”t” btype=”old” bcolor=”#CCCCCC” crop=”f” trans=”xfade” tbs=”4000″ f_ap=”t” linkdest=”c” f_fullscreen=”f” f_constrain=”f” twoup=”f” f_topbar=”f” f_bbarbig=”” f_htmllinks=”f” f_enable_embed_btn=”f” f_show_watermark=”f” f_send_to_friend_btn=”f” f_smooth=”f” f_mtrx=”f” f_up=”f” target=”_self” wmds=”llQ6QNgpeC.p1Ucz7U.f2JscZtT0wIVmqNLCmb8XMkqEs94Ix4soJlzlv0mF4EStFVjzzQ–” ]The outburst began in just 28 seconds when RIT took advantage of a bad clear. Brady Norrish picked up the loose puck at the right point and found Garbowsky on the side of the net who redirected it into the net.
About 2-1/2 minutes later, Garbowsky notched his second goal on a perfectly executed give-and-go. Brad McGowan down the middle passed it off to Garbowsky on the right. Garbowsky gave it back to McGowan, who faked the shot then returned the pass. By now, Jackson Teichroeb was taken out of the play, giving Garbowsky a wide open net to shoot at.
RIT got a power-play goal in the waning minutes of the period when Caleb Cameron fired a slap shot from the top of the circle into the opposite upper corner.
A series of five penalties by RIT in the third period provided the Purple Eagles with plenty of power-play opportunities.
“We were deserving of every one of those penalties,” Wilson said.
However, the Tigers were equal to the task. Niagara got just one shot on goal in 9:01 of power-play time. Overall, the Purple Eagles got four shots on 14:17 of power play time.
“We got nothing going [on the power play],” Burkholder said. “Just spinning our tires.”
Niagara committed two penalties in the last two minutes of the game, eliminating any chance for the Purple Eagles.
RIT scored a garbage goal with 15.6 seconds left. Josh Mitchell banged it into an unguarded net from the side of the post.
Niagara got on the board first nearly halfway through the opening period. Keegan Harper’s shot from the left point was tipped on the way by Derian Plouffe.
RIT outshot Niagara 48-25 with Jordan Ruby making 24 saves.
It’s the Tigers first home victory against Niagara in the Division I era, and only their second victory over the Purple Eagles in the last 21 games.
The two teams face each other again Saturday night in Niagara.
