RIT defeats Niagara, strengthens hold on 2nd place in AHA

By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA

Zach Wigle spent the previous four seasons playing major junior in the Ontario Hockey League, where scores of Hall of Famers honed their skills and some of the game’s greatest rivalries are renewed week after week and year after year.

But the first-year Rochester Institute of Technology centerman says nothing in the OHL compares to the Corner Crew, the crazed, loyal section of boisterous, chanting fans that bring unmatched energy to the Gene Polisseni every game night.

“I’ve never experienced anything like the Corner Crew,” Wigle said on Tuesday night following RIT’s 2-1 victory over Niagara University. “I played in the OHL and there are big crowds everywhere. London gets 10,000 fans every game but there’s a fifth of the noise that’s made by that one (Corner Crew) section.”

So maybe the Corner Crew deserves an unofficial assist for last night’s victory. Ever since “The Gene” opened in 2014, the bleachers of Section 118 have been Corner Crew territory. Always.

But when the second period began on Tuesday, there had been a relocation. The entire section migrated to the other end of the rink, posting up in Section 109, again to the left of Niagara goalie Tomas Anderson.

“I came out for the second period,” Wigle said “and right away I felt something was off.”

Said Austin Brimmer, the left winger on Wigle’s line: “I kind of liked it.”

For good reason. Wigle, Brimmer and linemate Evan Konyen produced a pair of goals on their first shift, staking the Tigers to a 2-0 lead in the second minute of the period and RIT held off Niagara the rest of the way to improve to 17-12-2 and 13-8-2 in Atlantic Hockey.

“We had so many chances in the first period; breakaways, back-door tap-ins,” Wigle said. “And then we score twice on one shift.

“But we didn’t do a good job after that continuing to pressure. We kind of sat back and that wasn’t the right approach.”

Nevertheless, those two goals were enough for the Tigers and workhorse goalie Jakub Krbecek. They allowed just one goal to the Purple Eagles, by Jonathan Ziskie with 9:47 remaining in the game, and in winning extended their lead over Holy Cross to six points (42-36) in the chase for second place.

That’s the good news. The bad news: RIT has just three conference games remaining (at first-place Bentley on Feb. 20, at Holy Cross on Feb. 27-28) while the teams within striking distance (Holy Cross, Sacred Heart and Robert Morris) have six remaining.

Finishing second would ensure home-ice advantage for the quarterfinals and semifinals.

“Home-ice advantage in the playoffs does mean a lot, especially with the support system we have with these fans.”

The Brimmer-Wigle-Konyen line continues to power the Tigers, in part because of their quick-strike ability.

Like on Tuesday, when structured work in the defensive zone led to chances off the rush at the other end.

Brimmer’s goal – his first in six games and just his third in the past 15 – broke the scoreless tie at 1:17. Wigle swatted at a loose puck in the deep slot and the shot hit traffic, caromed back up the slot to Brimmer and he fired a shot from right hash marks that zipped past goalie Tomas Anderson on the short side.

Wigle’s goal came off the next rush, with his wrister from a bad angle on left wing beating Anderson to the far side.

“What a shift,” RIT coach Matt Thomas said. “That was a good, hard-working, second-effort goal by Brimmer and then a snipe by Wigle.”

That was 31 second spurt was the extent of the production. Still, Krbecek was again strong in goal (22 saves) and the Tigers very few great chances to Niagara (9-18-1, 6-13-1).

Now comes what Thomas called RIT’s “mini Olympic break.” They’re idle until the 20^th and then finish the regular season the following weekend.

Since Krbecek has played 15 of the past 16 games, the light schedule could be perfect heading into the postseason. The sophomore goalie has a 2.13 goals-against average with a .922 save percentage.

“The break here for us is probably most beneficial for him,” Thomas said.