Men's Hockey | 11/30/2011 9:47:00 AM

ROCHESTER, NY - The RIT men's hockey team hits the road for the first time in over a month to face the University of Connecticut Huskies on Friday, December 2 and Saturday December 3 for a pair of crucial Atlantic Hockey Association contests.  Both games get underway at 7:05 p.m.

RIT (5-4-2, 4-2-2 AHA) enters the weekend looking to get back in the win column after having its five-game unbeaten streak snapped by Rensselaer, 2-0 last Friday.  RIT is unbeaten in its last five AHA contests and enter the weekend tied for third in the conference standings with 10 points.  Cameron Burt (Detroit, MI/) leads the team in scoring with 10 points (3-7-10) in 10 games, while goaltender Shane Madolora (Salinas, CA/) is 4-1-1 this season with a 2.15 goals against average and .927 save percentage.

RIT plays 11 of its next 13 games away from Ritter Arena.  This is the second time in seven seasons at the Division I level that RIT has entered December with a winning record. RIT is 83-29-12 after December 1 since the 2006-07 season. RIT was 17-6-0 after November 30 in 2006-07 and 14-7-4 in 2007-08. In 2008-09, RIT was 18-5-1 after Dec. 1 and in 2009-10 RIT was 20-7-1 after December 1.  Last year, RIT went 14-5-6 overall since Dec. 1.
 
Connecticut (4-7-2, 3-4-1 AHA) is looking to snap a three-game losing streak.  Last weekend, the Huskies lost a pair of games at Air Force, falling 3-1 on Friday and 4-3 on Saturday.  Brant Harris is one of four Huskies to have at least 10 points this season, as he leads the team in scoring with nine goals and 13 points.  Cole Schneider and Sean Ambrosie each have a team-best eight assists, while defenseman Alex Gerke leads all of Atlantic Hockey with 11 points.  In net, Garrett Bartus has played in all 13 games this season and is 4-7-2 with a 2.74 goals against average and .926 save percentage.

RIT is 17-6-1 all-time against Connecticut, 12-4-1 since 2007.  Last season, RIT went 3-0 against the Huskies, out-scoring them 15-7.  The Tigers defeated Connecticut in the 2011 AHA Semifinals at Blue Cross Arena.  RIT has won five straight overall against Connecticut, but are just 2-3-1 all-time at Freitas Ice Forum.