I have to think Coach Kennedy and the Knights were very proud of their effort last evening. The Tigers came out and appeared the team with game experience and were on the verge of running the Knights out of the Ice Works Arena 4 midway in the first period. The adjustments they made enabled them to stop the bleeding and wear down the Tigers. RIT D were not able to handle the big Neumann forwards at the top of the crease and the Neumann forwards were able to control play by the third period. I remember thinking how physical last season's Tigers were (the thrashing they handed Amherst and Midd come to mind), yet the Knights out muscled them (especially the Tiger D).
I have to take this as a tie that was a plus for Neumann and raises some questions about RIT. RIT has some great players and will surely do well this season, but every point is huge in the ECAC-West and this was a conference game they had in hand and let slip away. Teams that win the ECAC-West or NCAA do not let that happen, first game or any game.
Great first game of the season from the spectator perspective. Sorry not to be able to hang in Aston for the rematch, but there is way too much to do around the ranch.