Men's Hockey | 10/5/2010 2:55:31 PM

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ROCHESTER, NY - The No. 18 RIT men's hockey team opens the 2010-11 season, venturing West to play in the Mutual of Omaha Stampede on Friday and Saturday. The Tigers face No. 4 St. Cloud State in the season opener at 5:37 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 8, and play host Nebraska at Omaha at 8:07 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9. All games will be played at the 16,000-seat Qwest Center in Omaha.

RIT, who won a program record 28 games and made an unforgettable run to the NCAA Frozen Four last season, opened the 2010-11 season by defeating Wilfrid Laurier, 3-1 in an exhibition contest in front of 1,374 fans at Ritter Arena on Oct. 2. Chris Haltigin (Oakville, Ontario/), Jeff Smith (Spokane, WA/Tri-City Storm), and Adam Hartley (West Vancouver, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) scored for RIT. The Tigers scored on the power-play, shorthanded, and with the extra attacker. RIT out-shot Wilfrid Laurier 47-22, including 34-12 over the final two periods.

RIT returns 17 players from last season's team that won the Atlantic Hockey and NCAA East Regional Championships. The Tigers return their top two scorers (Cameron Burt (Detroit, MI/) (47), 3Andrew Favot (King City, Ontario/)# (46) and top four goal scorers Burt (16), Tyler Brenner (Linwood, Ontario/) (15), Favot (13), Chris Haltigin (Oakville, Ontario/) (11).

The Tigers are receiving 152 votes and are ranked 18th in the first USCHO.com/CBS College Sports Division I poll of the 2010-11 season. It is RIT's highest ranking in that poll since moving to Division I in 2005. RIT is receiving 38 votes and are just outside the top-15 in the first USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll of the year. Last season, RIT was ranked as high as ninth in the USA Today poll.

St. Cloud State, who is ranked fourth in the latest USCHO.com/CBS College Sports Division I poll, defeated the University of Manitoba, 7-4 in an exhibition contest on Oct. 2. Garrett Roe led the way with a goal and two assists. Roe also led the Huskies in scoring last season with 49 points (20-29-49) in 41 games. The Huskies finished the 2009-10 season with a 24-14-5 mark and advanced to the NCAA West Regional Championship, where they fell to Wisconsin, 5-3. St. Cloud State has 11 players on this year's roster who have been chosen in the NHL draft. The Huskies are picked to finish second in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) standings by the league's preseason coaches' poll.

It will be the first meeting between RIT and St. Cloud State. The Huskies will be the third highest ranked team that RIT has played in its Division I history. The Tigers knocked off Denver, then ranked No. 2, 2-1 in the NCAA East Regional on March 26, 2010. The Tigers fell to No. 2 Wisconsin in the Frozen Four on April 8, 2010. It will be RIT's fourth straight game against a ranked opponent, dating back to last season.

Nebraska at Omaha, who is receiving votes in the latest USCHO.com/CBS College Sports Division I poll, defeated the University of British Columbia, 6-1 in an exhibition contest on Oct. 2. Matt White scored two goals to lead the way. Rich Purslow is the leading returning scorer for the Mavericks, finishing with 27 points (14-13-27) in 41 games. The Mavericks finished the 2009-10 season with a 20-16-6 mark. This will mark the Mavericks first season in the WCHA after moving from the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). Nebraska at Omaha has two players on this year's roster who have been chosen in the NHL draft. The Huskies are picked to finish eighth in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) standings by the league's preseason coaches' poll.

RIT leads the all-time series between the two schools, 2-0. The Tigers won a pair of games in front of sellout crowds at the Omaha Civic Auditorium, 4-2 on Dec. 12, 1998, and 5-3 the following evening.