Men's Hockey | 10/30/2012 1:21:00 PM
Click here for live stats -- Click here for live video -- Click here for live audio
RIT Game Notes
ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT men's hockey team travels East on Interstate-90 this weekend to play a pair of games at Atlantic Hockey Association rival American International on Friday and Saturday at 7:05 p.m. Both teams will look for their first conference wins of the season.
This weekend, it is an AHA Eastern pod vs. Western pod weekend. In 2011-12, the AHA's six Western teams (Air Force, Canisius, Mercyhurst, Niagara, RIT, and Robert Morris) held a decisive 46-15-11 edge in Inter-pod play against the six eastern teams (American International, Army, Bentley, Connecticut, Holy Cross, Sacred Heart). RIT went 10-1-1 against the Eastern teams in 2011-12.
The Tigers (1-4-0, 0-1-0 AHA) will look to snap a four-game losing streak and pick up their first AHA win of the season. Last weekend, the Tigers dropped a pair of contests, losing at home to Robert Morris, 6-4, then falling at Colgate, 6-3. RIT has allowed 27 goals in five games this season and surrendered at least one power-play goal in each contest. Offensively,
Jeff Smith (Spokane, WA/Tri-City Storm) has recorded a point in all five games this season, and leads the squad with four goals and four assists for eight points. In net,
Josh Watson (Lititz, PA/Powell River Kings) and
Jordan Ruby (Tavistock, Ontario/Wellington Dukes) have split time this season.
American International (2-3-0, 0-1-0 AHA) comes into this weekend's games having split its last two games against non-conference opponents. Last Friday, the Yellowjackets fell at home to nationally-ranked Union by a score of 8-0, then rebounded the next night to defeat Alabama-Huntsville, 4-3. Adam Pleskach scored two goals and added an assist in Saturday's win, while Chandler Long made 22 saves to earn his first collegiate victory. Pleskach leads the team in scoring with three goals and six points in five games this season, while Jon Puskar has four goals. In net, Ben Meisner has seen the bulk of the playing time and is 1-3-0 with a 5.18 goals against average and .893 save percentage.
It will be the only regular season meetings between the two schools this season. The Tigers won both meetings between the two schools last season at Ritter Arena by scores of 3-1 and 4-2 and are 19-3-1 all-time against the Yellowjackets, 16-3-0 since moving to Division I in 2005. The Tigers have outscored AIC 85-33 in those 19 contests. RIT is 7-2 all-time at the Olympia Ice Arena.
