Press Release

TARANTINO LEADS RIT TO CARDINAL CLASSIC VICTORY Purple Knights lose fourth straight in dropping 5-2 decision FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                              FOR MORE INFORMATION January 2, 2004                                                                                 Contact: Seth Cole                                                                                                         Phone: (802) 654-2537 PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Senior Mike Tarantino (Oakville, Ontario) tallied two goals and two assists, including the eventual game-winner, as 10th-ranked Rochester Institute of Technology bested Saint Michael’s College, 5-2, on Friday in the opening game of the Cardinal Classic, hosted by Plattsburgh State University. Junior Michael Tucciarone (Richmond Hill, Ontario) added two goals, including a shorthanded marker, and an assist for RIT (5-3-2). The Tigers advance to Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. championship game versus Babson College, a surprise 4-1 winner versus Plattsburgh State in Friday's nightcap. Senior Mike Duffy (Malone, N.Y.) and junior Josh Cooper (Barre, Vt.) notched power play goals for the Purple Knights, while sophomore Alex Watts (Cheshire, Conn.) assisted on both goals. Junior Andy Joy (Oak Park, Ill.) turned aside 43 shots for Saint Michael’s (3-5), which will look to snap a four-game losing skid in Saturday’s 4 p.m. consolation game against the host Cardinals. The Purple Knights opened the contest strong, firing six of the first seven shots on goal and taking a 1-0 lead 4:30 into the game on Duffy’s team-leading sixth goal. The Tigers, however, scored three even-strength tallies midway through the first period, including consecutive goals by Tarantino, to take the lead for good. Cooper pulled Saint Michael’s within 3-2 late in the opening stanza with his second goal of the season, but the Purple Knights managed just 16 shots on net in the final two periods, all of which were stopped by RIT sophomore goaltender George Elipoulos (Markham, Ontario). Following the Cardinal Classic, Saint Michael’s plays four ECAC East road contests before returning to Cairns Arena to take on Wesleyan College on Friday, January 23 at 7 p.m. GAME SUMMARY Saint Michael’s  2          0          0          --2 RIT                   3          2          0          --5 First Period: Scoring: 1. SMC, Duffy (Watts, Mullins), 4:30 (pp). 2. RIT, Tucciarone (Tarantino), 5:07. 3. RIT, Tarantino (Holmes, Macovi), 9:55. 4. RIT, Tarantino (Tucciarone, Orofiamma), 13:29. 5. SMC, Cooper (Watts), 16:26 (pp). Second Period: Scoring: 6. RIT, Doherty (Bifulco), 3:16. 7. RIT, Tucciarone (Tarantino, Walling), 7:20 (sh). Third Period: No Scoring. Shots: SMC (11 – 9 – 7 – 27), RIT (16 – 16 – 16 – 48). Saves: SMC, Joy (48 shots, 43 saves, 2-5-0); RIT, Elipoulos (25 shots, 23 saves, 4-3-2). For complete box score, click here.  ###PURPLEKNIGHTS###

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Last Revised: October 25, 2002