Men's Hockey | 12/8/2009 4:42:54 PM

ROCHESTER, NY - The red-hot RIT men's hockey team plays its final contest of the 2009 calendar year, hosting non-conference rival Niagara University on Saturday, Dec. 12 at 7:05 p.m. in what should be a sellout crowd at Ritter Arena.

Locker Room Sports is Saturday's game sponsor.  There will be numerous raffle prizes drawn from several different on and off campus organizations throughout the game.

RIT (9-5-1, 9-2-1 AHA) is the nation's hottest team, riding a 10-game unbeaten streak, all in Atlantic Hockey play.  The Tigers, who have allowed just 15 goals during its unbeaten streak, come off a 1-0-1 weekend at Holy Cross.  On Friday, the Tigers skated to a 1-1 tie.  Cameron Burt (Detroit, MI/) scored with 47 seconds left in overtime to lift RIT to a dramatic, 3-2 win on Saturday.  Goaltender Jared DeMichiel (Avon, CT/) made 56 saves on 59 shots over the weekend.  He has a 1.37 goals against average and .951 save percentage during RIT's unbeaten streak, going 8-0-1 during that span.

RIT boasts the ninth best defense in Division I, allowing just 2.27 goals this season.  The Tigers have out-scored its foes 38-15 over the last 10 games.  The Tigers have five players with at least 10 points this season.  RIT is receiving 27 votes in the current USCHO.com Division I Men's Hockey national poll.

Niagara (2-10-2) will host Robert Morris on Friday at 7 p.m.  Last weekend, the Purple Eagles dropped a pair of games at No. 4 Bemidji State University, 8-2, and 3-2.  Chris Moran had a hand on three of the four Niagara goals.  The Purple Eagles have played five games against teams that are nationally-ranked in the current USCHO.com poll.  Moran leads the team with 17 points (3-14-17) in 14 games this season, while Ryan Olidis leads the squad with nine goals.  In net, junior Adam Avramenko has played in nine games and has a 2-3-2 record with a 3.28 goals against average and .898 save percentage.

Next season, Niagara, along with Robert Morris will join the Atlantic Hockey Association.

Purple Eagles Head Coach Dave Burkholder led RIT to the 1983 NCAA Division II Championship, as a goaltender.  He is among the RIT all-time leaders in several goaltending categories, including most shutouts (12).  Burkholder recorded 83 wins, a 2.965 goals against average, and .894 save percentage from 1980-84.

Niagara leads the all-time series between the two schools, 5-2-3, and is 3-0-1 against RIT since 2005.  Last season, the Purple Eagles handed RIT its worst loss of the year, 6-2 at Dwyer Arena on Nov. 7, 2008.  The last time the two teams met in Rochester, Brennan Sarazin (Nepean, Ontario/Nepean Raiders) scored with 1:04 left in regulation to lift the Tigers to a 3-3 tie in front of a sellout crowd on Feb. 16, 2008.

Tickets are available for this weekend's games 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. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for RIT faculty, staff and alumni and $5 for students with ID. Fans can also buy special reserved seats in Section 100 or 101 for $12 (adults), $10 (faculty/staff/alumni) or $7 (students). Buying a reserved section ticket will guarantee you a seat for the game.

The game will be aired live on Time Warner Cable Sports channel 26, with Gene Battaglia and John Ditullio bringing you the action.

Come out and support the Tigers in their final game of the 2009 calendar year.