RIT Comeback Spoils Home Opener for Michigan

It looked like another routine opener for the Wolverines. The air was cold in Yost and the fans were decked in maize and blue, leading rousing cheers of "Hail to the Victors" and banging their cowbells in rhythm with a resounding "Go Blue!" from the student section. The men on the ice for Michigan had put up three goals in the first period, and were settling in for a home-opening blowout of the visiting team from the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Michigan blew a 3-0 lead at home Thursday night. The Wolverines have lost 2 out of the last 3 home openers.

Michigan came flying out of the gate. Just two minutes into the game, Derek DeBlois buried a shot to put the Wolverines up 1-0 on the Tigers. Halfway through the period, Michigan tallied a second goal--this one on the power play--off the stick of Mac Bennett. Looking to salt the game away in the first period, Jason Trouba scored on the powerplay late in the period, putting Michigan up 3-0.

RIT finally found a bit of life at the end of the first period. Just 29 seconds after Trouba scored, the Tigers got a goal from Josh Mitchell, breathing a bit of life into the team. The score of 3-1 made the game manageable for RIT; but as the game entered the third period, the Tigers were starting to run out of time.

The squad from RIT scored three minutes into the final period thanks to Chris Saracino's first goal of the year. But the celebration was short lived. Michigan did what has becoming a trademark for them over the years--they squelched the hope of a comeback with a quick goal. Just two minutes after the Tigers pulled within a goal, Travis Lynch found the back of the net to keep the Wolverines' lead at two goals, 4-2.

Halfway through the third, the Tigers again pulled the lead within a goal. Elliot Raibl found the back of the net for RIT, making the game 4-3. Michigan still had the lead, but the three-goal cushion from the first period had disappeared.

But with only five minutes remaining in the game, the Tigers completed the comeback. Greg Noyes scored for RIT, tying the game 4-4 in front of a shocked Yost Arena. Michigan then took a penalty, giving RIT a chance to win the game in regulation. The Wolverines penalty kill took over, and managed to get the game into overtime tied 4-4.

It took all of 14 seconds for RIT to win the game in overtime.
Adam Hartley hit the twine for the Tigers, and the celebration ensued for the orange and black.

The loss was Michigan's second home-opening loss in the last three years.