Three conference series were played in Atlantic Hockey this past weekend, and only one ended in a sweep. And it was an impressive sweep for Sacred Heart at that.
The Pioneers went to RIT and ultimately improved to 5-6-1 in league play with back-to-back wins for the first time this season, 4-3 and 6-4. SHU needed overtime to decide Friday’s game before scoring three times in the third period the following night to complete the sweep against a team that has won two of the last four Atlantic Hockey championships.
Head coach C.J. Marottolo’s team did not sweep a league set last season until the first weekend of February at Mercyhurst, but the Pioneers have now won four straight contests against the Tigers after taking a pair of playoff elimination games last March in Rochester.
Senior defenseman Mike Lee was the lone player to put the Pioneers ahead in the series opener. The Hamden, Conn., native gave SHU a 2-1 lead with 4:27 left in the second period. RIT scored next two goals to take a 3-2 lead before Northeastern transfer Jason Cotton scored an unassisted, power-play goal at 11:39 of the third and Lee’s third goal of the year decided the game with five seconds remaining in overtime.