Men's Hockey | 10/6/2009 11:36:57 AM

ROCHESTER, NY - The RIT men's hockey team hosts the Colgate University Raiders in the 2009-10 season opener at Blue Cross Arena in downtown Rochester on Saturday, October 10 at 7:05 p.m. The game will be the focal point of RIT's Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend.

The Democrat and Chronicle and Fidelity Investments are Saturday's sponsors. The first 4,000 fans in attendance will receive a free RIT Hockey t-shirt sponsored by Dr. James Watters, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration at RIT, along with the Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend committee and Student Athlete-Advisory Committee.  In addition, the first 3,000 fans will also receive RIT Sportszone towels. 

RIT returns 19 players overall and four of its top six scorers from last season's squad that was the second highest scoring team in all of Division I, and set a Division I team record with 23 wins. The Tigers were the 2009 regular season co-champions of Atlantic Hockey. This season, they are picked to finish third in the AHA standings by the league's preseason coaches' poll. Senior captain, defenseman Dan Ringwald (Oakville, Ontario/) is a 2009 Hobey Baker candidate after back-to-back 34-point seasons. In addition, junior assistant captain Andrew Favot (King City, Ontario/), along with sophomores Tyler Brenner (Linwood, Ontario/), and Cameron Burt (Detroit, MI/) return after scoring at least 30 points each last season. Goaltender Jared DeMichiel (Avon, CT/) returns after posting a 13-6-0 mark and a 2.70 goals against average in 2008-09. The Tigers are receiving 10 votes in the season-opening USCHO.com/CBS College Sports Division I Men's Poll.

On Sunday, the Tigers defeated York University, 3-2 in an exhibition contest. Burt, Brent Alexin (West Seneca, NY/), and Mark Cornacchia (Unionville, Ontario/) scored goals for the Tigers.

Colgate, who will play its first game of the season on Friday at Niagara, finished the 2008-09 season with a 12-18-7 record, setting a Division I record by playing in 19 overtime games. The Raiders are picked to finish seventh in the ECAC Hockey standings by the league's preseason coaches' poll. Colgate has a total of six players on this year's roster who have been chosen in the NHL Draft. Leading the way for Colgate is senior David McIntyre. Last season, McIntyre was ranked among the national leaders with 21 goals and 43 points en route to being named a first team all-ECAC Hockey performer, a first team ACHA/Reebok East Division I All-American, a first team All-America honoree by Inside College Hockey, a member of the all-College Hockey News selection, as well as being named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award.

Colgate leads the all-time series between the two clubs, 6-1-0. The Raiders have defeated RIT once since the Tigers moved to Division I, 6-5 at Starr Rink in Hamilton on October 13, 2007. Sean Murphy (Owatonna, MN/), playing in his first collegiate game, scored a goal and added an assist for RIT.

Tickets are available for Saturday's game at the Gordon Field House and Activities Center Box Office or by phone at (585) 475-4121. Fans can also purchase tickets via ticketmaster.com or at the Blue Cross Arena Box Office. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for alumni, faculty and staff and $6 for RIT students (at Gordon Field House only) with ID before Saturday. On Saturday, tickets are $12 for adults and $9 for students with ID.

Hope to see you on Saturday at 7:05 p.m.