The RIT power play rolled Saturday against Oswego, scoring on four of six opportunities to make the difference as RIT cruised to a 5-1 victory, sweeping the weekend series.
RIT’s Mike Bournazakis and Mike Tarantino each scored two goals in the game to lead the Tigers.
“This is probably our most complete weekend to date,” said RIT coach Wayne Wilson.
The two teams traded territorial advantages in the first period. RIT carried play through the middle portion of the period, pouring shots on the Oswego net. Later in the period, Oswego turned the tables, putting long stretches of sustained pressure on the Tiger net.
The RIT power play got rolling in the first period as Bournazakis tallied two man-up goals to stake the Tigers to a 2-0 lead. The first goal came 8:37 into the period after defenseman Ryan Fairbarn passed the puck from the point down low to Sam Hill. Hill looked up and spotted Bournazakis standing at the far post and slid the puck across to him. Bournazakis one-timed the puck into the Oswego net for the score.
The second power-play goal of the period for Bournazakis was the same play. Jerry Galway started it at the point, but the rest of the play was identical: down low to Hill, across the slot to Bournazakis and in for the goal at the 17:45 mark.
“I was pleased with our special teams overall,” said Wilson. “We had everyone going tonight.”
The Tigers (16-1) took a 3-0 lead early in the second period, once again on the power play. Mike Tarantino poked in a rebound off a scramble in front of Oswego netminder Tyson Gajda at 5:49 into the period.
Oswego (12-6) answered three minutes later, scoring its first goal of the series. The Laker forwards got RIT running around in its own zone a little bit, and this allowed Matt Vashaw to maneuver alone in the crease. He got off two quick shots and finally wristed in the third for the goal at the 8:48 mark.
RIT regained its three-goal lead late in the second period. Mike Tucciarone walked out of the corner around a Laker and slid the puck through Gajda’s five-hole for the goal 15:40 into the period.
Both defenses clamped down in the third, keeping the scoring opportunities to a minimum, but Tarantino scored another power-play goal for RIT late in the period to seal the win.
