RIT co-captain Jerry Galway had two goals and two assists to lead RIT over the host Fredonia Blue Devils, 7-2, in the championship game of the fifth annual Fredonia Invitational tournament, RIT’s second title in three appearances.
The Tigers raced to a 3-0 lead with first-period goals by Mike Tarantino, Galway and co-captain Derek Hahn.
All three were highlight-film goals, especially the Galway’s, as he raced in to the Fredonia zone and blasted a loose puck over the shoulder of Fredonia goaltender Jamie Kosecki.
Tarantino, a freshman from Oakville, Ont., assisted on both RIT goals in the second period, as the Tigers increased their lead to 5-0. First Rob Vessio scored on a shot from the far point that seemed to surprise Kosecki; then Mike Moore scored on a shot from the near point that trickled between the goaltender’s pads.
Fredonia got on the board at 6:29 of the third period when a shot by Marcel Hurtubise deflected off the leg of Erik Dolesh past RIT netminder Tyler Euverman.
RIT regained its five-goal cushion just 1:27 later when, on the power play, Pete Bournazakis scored his third goal of the tournament off some pretty passing by Galway and Hahn.
The Tigers made it 7-1 at midway through the third on Galway’s second of the game, also a power-play goal.
Fredonia closed out the scoring at 16:34 on goal by Mike Mason. With a man advantage, the Blue Devils cycled the puck well and Jason Furness and Marc Fattey found Mason alone in front of the RIT net. The freshman buried the puck to make it 7-2.
“I think we played well enough to win, and now we know what we need to work on this week,” said RIT head coach Wayne Wilson. “We made some mistakes, but for the most part I was pleased with the way we played in this tournament.
“Our veteran players stepped up, which we’re going to need to be successful.”
Shots on goal were 42-28 in favor of the Tigers.
Hahn, with two goals and three assists on the weekend, was named tournament MVP.
The all-tournament team consisted of:
F: Pete Bournazakis, RIT
F: Jason Furness, Fredonia
F: Joe Pecoraro, Oswego
D: Nate Elliot, Oswego
D: Jerry Galway, RIT
G: Tyler Euverman, RIT
MVP: Derek Hahn, RIT
RIT returns to action October 27, when it takes on Geneseo in the first round of the Chase Rochester Cup tournament. Fredonia travels to Findlay on October 24.
