ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The RIT Men's Hockey team defeated visiting Western (Ont.) University, Friday, in an exhibition game prior to the start of the regular season.
 
First-year Alex Christopoulos logged three goals while junior Christian Catalano added a goal and three assists. Senior Simon Isabelle and sophomore Tristan Allen each had a goal and two assists in the victory.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• RIT got on the board at 4:23 of the first. Catalano played a puck off the right half boards before splitting through two defenders in the faceoff circle and centering a pass to Isabelle in the slot for a short finish inside the right post.
• Western got on the board with 3:03 left in the period after Lawson Sherk finished a rush with a shot over RIT senior goaltender Trent Burnham's glove.
• RIT tallied twice in the second period for a 3-1 lead. Isabelle won a faceoff back to the right point to Allen, who fed Catalano for a one-timer from the left point. The shot deflected off the stick of a defender on the crease back out to the right faceoff circle where Allen grabbed the loose puck and scored from a sharp angle, far post, at 13:30.
• Western later had possession of the puck behind the Tiger goal, but an errant pass made it all the way back to Maverick goaltender Jack McNaughton at the other end. McNaughton tried to feed a teammate in the neutral zone, but Christopoulos intercepted the pass inside the blue line and beat McNaughton, one-on-one, at 16:16.
• Skating with an extra man early in the third period, Catalano skated a puck down the right boards and fought his way around to the left corner before centering a pass to Christopoulos in the slot for a finish over goaltender Chazz Nixon's glove at 1:38.  
• Just over five minutes later, Catalano and senior Tyler Mahan converted a two-on-one break, finished by Catalano from close range inside right post at 6:52.
• Skating on another power play, Christopoulos completed the hat-trick on a one-time from the left faceoff circle from Allen at 8:49. 

GAME NOTES

• All three RIT goaltenders played a period. Burnham was credited with seven saves in the first, before sophomore Jakub Krbecek tallied six in the second. First-year Collin Mackenzie stopped all 10 shots he saw in the third.
• RIT finished with a 38-24 shot advantage.
• The Tigers ended 2-for-5 on the power play while killing all five Western power plays they faced. 

WHAT'S NEXT
RIT opens the regular season with a pair of Atlantic Hockey America contests opposite visiting Sacred Heart next Friday (7:05 p.m.) and Saturday (5:05 p.m.).