Men's Hockey | 1/21/2014 11:34:00 AM

Click here for RIT Game Notes --- Click here for Niagara Game Notes

ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT men's hockey team looks to extend its winning streak with a home-and-home series against Atlantic Hockey Association rival Niagara University at 7:05 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Friday's game will be played at Niagara's Dwyer Arena and the two teams will return to RIT's Ritter Arena for Saturday's contest.
 
Friday's game will be aired nationally on CBS Sports Network, with Eric Frede, Jim Paradise and Ryan Cruthers on the call from Dwyer Arena. Saturday's game will be on Time Warner Cable Sports Channel 26 with Gene Battaglia and John DiTullio bringing you the action from Ritter Arena. 
 
CBS Sports Network is channel 315 on Time Warner Digital Cable in the Rochester area, 221 on DirecTV, and 152 on Dish Network. Please check with your local cable provider for availability.
 
On Saturday, RIT will honor members of the 1983 and 1985 NCAA Championship teams, as well as the squad that made the 2010 Frozen Four and any All-Americans as part of Ritter Arena's "Night of Champions."  Niagara head coach Dave Burkholder was the goaltender on the 1983 NCAA Championship team. This is RIT's final season at famed Ritter Arena before moving into the 4,200-seat Gene Polisseni Center on campus in 2014-15.
 
Starting on Saturday, RIT plays seven consecutive games at Ritter Arena, where they are 68-20-13 in the regular season against league foes since joining in 2006-07.
 
The Tigers recorded their first wins of the 2014 calendar year, sweeping Army last weekend by scores of 6-0 and 4-3. In Friday's 6-0 win, Jordan Ruby (Tavistock, Ontario/Wellington Dukes) made 35 saves for his first collegiate shutout, while Danny Smith (Edmonton, Alberta/Sherwood Park Crusaders) and Brandon Thompson (Vancouver, British Columbia/Handsworth) had three points apiece. On Saturday, Ben Lynch (Blaine, MN/Lincoln Stars) scored a pair of goals, while Ruby made 37 saves. Mike Colavecchia (Maple, Ontario/Lindsay Muskies) had three goals on the weekend, including both game-winning tallies.

Smith was named the Atlantic Hockey Association Rookie of the Week, while Ruby garnered Goaltender of the Week honors on Tuesday.
 
Colavecchia leads the Tigers with 23 points in 10 goals and 13 assists. He is tied for sixth nationally with seven power-play goals, while Greg Noyes (Lucan, Ontario/Salmon Arm Silverbacks) is tied for 10th among scoring by a defenseman with 17 points. Todd Skirving (Thunder Bay, Ontario/Sioux Falls Stampede) is eighth among all rookies in points per game (0.89). RIT's power play is fourth nationally at 24.0 percent (23-for-96).
 
Niagara enters Saturday's contest looking to snap a two-game losing streak after getting swept at home last weekend by Holy Cross. Issac Kohls leads the team in scoring with 17 points. Kohls, Hugo Turcotte, and Ryan Rashid have seven goals each to lead the squad. Niagara has been outscored by its opponents, 75-57 this season. In net, Adrian Ignagni and Jackson Teichrob have split time. Ignagni is 2-6-2 with a 3.54 goals against average and .886 save percentage, while Teichrob is 3-8-1 with a 3.01 goals against average and .895 save percentage.
 
RIT is 3-12-9 all-time against Niagara, 1-10-7 in the Division I era.  It has become one of the most competitive Division I rivalries, as eight of the last 11 meetings between the two schools have gone to overtime. On Dec. 14, the two teams skated to a 2-2 draw at Frontier Field in downtown Rochester. It was the first outdoor game for both teams.
 
It is the fourth time that RIT will play a nationally televised game on CBS Sports Network. RIT played at Army on Jan. 7, 2011 and hosted Niagara on Feb. 25, 2011. The Tigers also played on CBS Sports at Air Force on Feb. 3, 2012. They are 0-2-1 in games played on CBS Sports.
 
Saturday's game will be sponsored by Canandaigua National Bank. The first 100 fans through the door will receive a free seat cushion, sponsored by CNB.

Tickets are available for Saturday's game at the Gordon Field House and Activities Center Box Office or by phone at (585) 475-4121. Fans can also purchase tickets at www.rithockey.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 $13 (adults), $11 (faculty/staff/alumni) or $8 (students). Buying a reserved section ticket will guarantee you a seat for the game.

Both games will be broadcast over the airwaves on WITR 89.7 FM and witr.rit.edu and on America One. Live stats are also available Friday and Saturday.

Come out and support the Tigers in their final season at Ritter Arena. Next season, the Tigers move in to the 4,200-seat Gene Polisseni Center.