ROCHESTER, N.Y.- The Sacred Heart University Men's Ice Hockey team (5-8-2, 5-6-1 AHA) defeated RIT 6-4 to complete the two-game sweep of the Tigers. The Pioneers will return to action on Friday, January 4 when SHU travels to face Vermont. Game-time is set for 7:00 p.m.

In the first period, RIT jumped out to an early 2-0 lead 14:28 into the first period. The Pioneers would be able to salvage a goal to narrow the RIT lead to 2-1 courtesy of a goal by sophomore Matt Tugnutt at 14:58 to conclude the first period. Both sides were even in the shot column as each team took 18 shots.

The second period would be a complete reverse of the first as the Pioneers would be able to net two goals while RIT would only be able to salvage one. The first Pioneer goal came off the stick of freshman Nick Boyagian at 17:21 to trail by just one. Then in the closing seconds of the period sophomore Marc Johnstone would net his second goal of the season to tie the game up at 3-3 at 19:52. SHU dominated the shots on goal totals as the Pioneers fired off 17 shots on goal just in the second period.

The Pioneers would dominate the third period as they would hold RIT to just one opening period goal at 2:20 before three SHU goals piled on in the game. The first came at 4:10 in the period as Ruslan Rahkmatov would nail a goal off a pair of assists by Austin Magera and Austin Mcllmurray to give the Pioneers a 4-3 lead. Then seven minutes later the Pioneers would score again this time coming off the stick of Mcllmurray at 11:46 to give the Pioneers a 5-3 lead. The final blow to RIT would come at 18:58 as Tugnutt would score his second goal of the game on an empty net to seal the 6-3 victory for the Pioneers.