Men's Hockey | 10/11/2010 11:20:10 AM

Click here to Support Sharky's Fight against cancer

Click here to bid on special RIT jerseys to support Sharky

ROCHESTER, NY - The RIT men's hockey team hosts the UMass Lowell River Hawks in the 2010-11 home opener at Blue Cross Arena in downtown Rochester on Saturday, October 16 at 7:05 p.m. The game will be the focal point of RIT's Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend, with a large crowd expected.

The Democrat and Chronicle and Fidelity Investments are Saturday's sponsors. The first 5,000 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.

The RIT men's hockey team is raising money to help former Rochester American standout Craig Charron in his fight against cancer. Charron played five seasons with the Amerks, leading the squad to a Calder Cup Championship in 1996. He has been heavily involved in the Rochester community for a number of years and is a tremendous leader in the area.

The team plans on auctioning off one-of-a-kind special edition game worn black jerseys to help raise money for Craig and his family to offset the cost of his medical bills. The jerseys will be auctioned off on-line starting Thursday, October 14 at 12 p.m. and ending Sunday, October 17 at 5 p.m. UMass Lowell, who Charron played for from 1986-90, will wear special Lowell Chiefs jerseys to honor him during warm-ups before the game.

All proceeds from the sale of the black RIT jerseys will go to “Support Sharky's Fight” against cancer. For more information please go to www.rit.edu/studentaffairs/charron/.

In addition, former NHL player, coach, and current ESPN analyst Barry Melrose will be a featured guest of RIT. Melrose will be signing autographs between the first and second period. He will also be honored at the RIT tailgate party at the new Global Village on campus, which runs from 3:30-5:30 p.m.

There will be several raffles during the evening, including one for an authentic, 2010 RIT Frozen Four orange jersey.  Tickets are $1 each or 10 for $5.  Fans can purchase raffle tickets in the main lobby.

RIT enters this weekend's play looking for its first victory after suffering a pair of close losses at the Mutual of Omaha Stampede over the weekend. On Friday, RIT tied the game in the third period before falling, 3-1 to No. 4 St. Cloud State. The following evening, RIT led 2-0 after one period, and 3-2 after the second, before suffering a 5-3 loss to Nebraska-Omaha. RIT trailed by just one goal in the final minute of each contest before surrendering a pair of empty-net tallies. Senior Andrew Favot (King City, Ontario/) and sophomore Adam Hartley (West Vancouver, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) were named to the All-Tournament Team. Favot led the way with a goal and an assist over the weekend.

The Tigers are the preseason favorite to repeat as Atlantic Hockey Association champions. They play their first AHA contest at Ritter Arena on Oct. 29 against Robert Morris.

UMass Lowell, coached by former RIT defenseman and two-time national champion Blaise MacDonald '85, also enters this weekend looking for its first win. Lowell dropped its season opener, 8-2 to Maine on Oct. 8, and will also play at Niagara on Oct. 15. The River Hawks finished the 2009-10 season with a 19-16-4 record, advancing to the Hockey East quarterfinals. UMass Lowell is picked to finish eighth in the Hockey East standings by the league's preseason coaches' poll.

UMass Lowell leads the all-time series between the two clubs, 4-1-0. The River Hawks have defeated RIT once since RIT moved to Division I, 6-3 at Tsongas Arena in Lowell on November 29, 2008.

Tickets are available for Saturday's game at the Gordon Field House and Activities Center Box Office. 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 at Blue Cross Arena.

Last season, RIT drew a Rochester record crowd of 7,421 fans against Colgate during Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend. The RIT and Rochester community is urged to come on out and sellout Blue Cross Arena, creating a sea of orange on Saturday, October 16 at 7:05 p.m.