By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA
There is no question that Rochester Institute of Technology is going to miss Tommy Scarfone this season.
Atlantic Hockey America’s all-league goalie a year ago opted to bypass his senior season at RIT and instead snare a roster spot with the University of Wisconsin through college hockey’s transfer portal.
But it’s safe to say, at least based on the early returns, the Tigers are going to miss him a lot less than folks originally assumed.
That’s because first-year goalie Jakub Krbecek is showing not just an impressive skillset but an air of confidence in the goal crease.
The native of Prague, Czech Republic, was brilliant on Saturday night, even in losing 2-1 in overtime to Bowling Green State University in RIT’s annual Brick City Homecoming Game at sold-out Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial.
Krbecek stopped 43 of 45 shots as the Falcons outshot RIT 45-27 and spoiled the homecoming party for 10,566 fans in downtown Rochester.
Gustav Stjernberg played sniper off a two-on-one fast break, wristing a perfect shot from the left circle over Krbecek’s shoulder and in off the cross bar with 47.4 seconds remaining in OT.
“The better team won tonight,” RIT coach Wayne Wilson said.
Krbecek probably can’t play much better than he did, however. He made at least six terrific saves – including one that belongs on the SportsCenter Top 10 – and a whole lot more really good ones.
“I feel bad for him that we gave up that two-on-one in overtime,” Wilson said.
That Wilson opted to start the freshman was a statement in itself. Yes, he was 2-0 and had given up just four goals, while junior transfer Trent Burnham was 0-2 after allowing six goals in his two starts.
But the Brick City game is a different animal. A huge, boisterous crowd with expectations to perform, especially with the Tigers riding a five-game winning streak and eight-game unbeaten streak in this annual special event.
“I was thinking, ‘Am I crazy to be starting a freshman?” Wilson admitted. “I don’t want to stay it was a test, but I wanted to see how he would handle it.”
And?
“He looked unflappable,” Wilson said.
Probably because he relished the atmosphere.
“I never played in front of too many fans,” he said. “It was a new thing and I loved it. They were amazing.”
His first tests came in the game’s ninth and 10th minutes on a Bowling Green power play. Twice the Falcons set up Dalton Norris for a one-timer above the right circle and twice Krbecek read the play, shifted across his crease and made the save.
Three minutes into the second period, with the game still scoreless, he somehow reached back with his stick to deny Brent Pfon’s shot at an open net.
The game stayed 0-0 until RIT’s Simon Isabelle scored on a wrap-around 14:43 into the second period.
But just 1:21 later, the Falcons connected with their favorite power-play play, as Norris hammered home a one-timer from the right circle.
Krbecek brought many in the crowd to their feet with a sparkling stop about seven minutes into the third period, again with Bowling Green on a power play. Ryan O’Hara was alone with the puck to the right of the crease and Krbecek was on the other side of the net.
O’Hara settled the puck, perhaps a mistake, and then fired at the open net. Krbecek came diving across and somehow was able to bat it away with his catching glove.
“I don’t even know what I was thinking,” Krbecek said. “I just tried to save it, I just tried to jump there.”
Simply put, he showed he’s never going to give up on a play.
“That save speaks to his competitiveness,” Wilson said.
Krbecek was recruited by the Tigers coaching staff two years ago when he was playing in the Junior A North American Hockey League. At the time, RIT figured they’d bring in quality freshmen to learn the collegiate game while Scarfone played out his eligibility.
But Scarfone’s transfer forced a fast-forwarding of the adjustment period. Burnham, a transfer from Lindenwood, has experience but Krbecek is earning rare prime-time playing time as a freshman.
He made 32 stops in a 3-2 win at Clarkson on Oct. 6 and posted 31 saves in a 4-2 win at Mercyhurst on Oct. 12.
His 43 saves on Saturday were the most by an RIT freshman goalie since Josh Watson, who made 45 saves in a 5-3 loss to No. 17 Merrimack on Jan. 1, 2011. Even Scarfone never made 40 saves during his freshman season.
“He fills the net,” Wilson said of Krbecek. “When you’re looking at him, he just looks the part.”
He also plays part. Really well.
Leave a Reply