ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT senior forward Tyler Mahan notched a pair of goals to lead the Tigers to a 5-1 Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) victory over visiting Air Force, Friday.
Junior forward Christian Catalano logged a goal and an assist while senior forward Simon Isabelle and sophomore defenseman Mason Croucher each tallied two assists to lead 10 Tiger point scorers.
Sophomore goaltender Jakub Krbecek stopped 21 of the 22 shots he faced for his second-straight victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
RIT opened the scoring at 4:33 of the first. Isabelle played a puck off the end boards behind the Air Force goal and fed Mahan in front for a short finish over Falcon goaltender Carter Clafton’s glove.
RIT GOAL – Izzy plays one off the end boards and finds Ty open in the slot for a glove-side finish. #roartech pic.twitter.com/9l9tyjttsE
— RIT Men’s Hockey (@RITMHKY) October 24, 2025
The Tigers took a 2-0 lead at 10:45 of the first. Croucher played a puck to senior forward Adam Jeffery for a one-timer from the left point that deflected off a defender in the slot to senior forward Philippe Jacques for a redirect inside the right post.
RIT GOAL – Jacques with the redirect off a shot by Jeffery from the point and its 2-0 Tigers! #roartech pic.twitter.com/rDgiQhwvxT
— RIT Men’s Hockey (@RITMHKY) October 24, 2025
Air Force got one back with 2:46 left in the first period. Aidan Willis won a faceoff to the left of the Tiger goal back to Brendan Gibbons, who scored on a shot through a crowd in front of Krbecek, glove side.
RIT found the net with their first power play goal of the season for a 3-1 lead at 2:49 of the second. Junior defenseman Ben Roger faked a shot from the top of the slot and dropped a puck to first-year forward Caleb Elfering in the right faceoff circle. Elfering one-touched a cross to Catalano at the opposite faceoff dot for a wrist shot inside the near post.
RIT GOAL – Catalano with a nifty wrister from the left dot off off feeds from Elfering and Roger. #roartech pic.twitter.com/J4KMZ89EDk
— RIT Men’s Hockey (@RITMHKY) October 25, 2025
The Tigers made it a 4-1 lead at 11:08 of the second. Catalano maneuvered around two Air Force defenders along the left boards and fired a wrist shot from the top of the faceoff circle that Mahan redirected past Clafton inside the left post.
RIT GOAL – Catalano with another wicked wrist shot that is re-directed by Mahan inside the left post. #roartech pic.twitter.com/rq6Mf4b0nh
— RIT Men’s Hockey (@RITMHKY) October 25, 2025
First-year Evan Konyan tacked on an empty net goal with 2:17 left in regulation, hustling back to score a puck cleared by Croucher down the left boards.
RIT GOAL – Konyen with the empty-net icing on the cake as the Tigers take a 5-1 lead with 2:17 left in regulation. #roartech pic.twitter.com/MIyx0kZC7a
— RIT Men’s Hockey (@RITMHKY) October 25, 2025
COACH THOMAS SAID
“I thought we played a really good half of a game. We were in a good spot in terms of control going into the third period but then got outplayed. That is something that a young team like ours, which is still trying to find its identity, has got to recognize. There is a lot to pull from, but anytime you can beat a team that is as competitive as Air Force, you have to be pleased with the effort.”
Re: the number of guys getting involved offensively:
“It’s all about the guys buying in and playing for each other. When we are doing the things we are tasked to do, things open up for guys to make plays. We had guys going to the net hard today and we had a lot of good goals around the net front.”
GAME NOTES
- RIT finished the game with a 28-22 shot advantage, leading, 19-9, after two periods before Air Force finished the third with a 13-9 edge.
- RIT notched its first power play goal of the season after starting 0-for-14 in its first three games.
- The Tigers finished 3-for-3 on the penalty kill and have only allowed one goal in 13 opponent power play chances this season.
- Konyen scored a point in his third-straight game.
- Catalano and Isabelle each logged their second-straight game with two assists.
- Mahan, Catalano and Jacques all scored their first goals of the season as 10 Tigers have now scored a goal through four games to start the season.
- Croucher notched his first career two-point game.
WHAT’S NEXT
RIT hosts Air Force for a rematch on Saturday (Oct. 25) at 5:05 p.m.
