Men's Hockey | 11/29/2016 9:44:00 AM
ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT men's hockey team ventures west to play a pair of Atlantic Hockey contests at Niagara University on Friday, Dec. 2 and Saturday, Dec. 3. Both games from Dwyer Arena get underway at 7:05 p.m.
RIT (6-7-1, 6-5-0 Atlantic Hockey) comes into this weekend's games riding a three-game winning streak and is tied for first in the Atlantic Hockey standings with 12 points. Last time out,
Erik Brown (Keene, Ontario/Kemptville 73's) scored with 49.9 seconds left in regulation to lift the Tigers to a 4-3 win at Mercyhurst on Nov. 23.
Myles Powell (Courtenay, British Columbia/Cowichan Valley Capitals) scored a pair of goals, while
Adam Brubacher (Elmira, Ontario/Powell River Kings) also tallied and
Gabe Valenzuela (Brampton, Ontario/North York Rangers) dished out two assists. In goal,
Mike Rotolo (Rochester, NY/Cedar Rapids Roughriders) made 30 saves for his sixth win of the season and 32nd of his collegiate career.
Brown's goal was the top play in the
NCAA Hockey Plays of the Week that was released on Nov. 29.
Powell leads the Tigers in scoring with 13 points on seven goals and six assists in 12 games. Brown and
Caleb Cameron (Sundridge, Ontario/Listowel Cyclones) are right behind with 12 points apiece. Brown leads the team with eight goals, while
Brady Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers) has a team-best 11 assists for RIT. Ten players have at least eight points. Rotolo has appeared in all 14 games with six wins, a 2.64 goals against average and an .896 save percentage.
RIT's special teams have excelled recently. The power-play has converted 25 percent of its chances over the last five games, while RIT's penalty-killing unit has successfully killed off 90.2 percent of its opponent's power-plays over the last nine games.
Niagara (2-9-3, 2-4-2 Atlantic Hockey) earned one point in a two-game series at league foe American International last weekend. The two teams skated to a scoreless draw on Friday, while American International won 3-1 Saturday. Derek Brown leads the Purple Eagles in scoring with nine points on three goals and six assists. Johnny Curran has a team-best six goals, while Noah Delmas has dished out seven assists. In goal, Jackson Teichroeb has appeared in eight games, with a 1-4-2 record, 3.70 goals against average, and an .885 save percentage to go along with two shutouts. Guillaume Therien is 1-3-0 with a 4.77 goals against average and an .884 save percentage.
Niagara leads the all-time series between the two schools, 15-7-12, including a 13-5-10 mark since RIT moved to Division I in 2005. Both teams were also members of the ECAC West in the late 1990s. RIT went 2-1-1 against the Purple Eagles last season, and is 4-1-3 against Niagara since the start of the 2014-15 season.
Friday's game will be on Time Warner Cable Sports Channel 26 in both Rochester and Buffalo, as David Miller and Chris Panek calling the game. Both games will be available to
view online and will also be on
WITR 89.7 FM, with Scott Biggar and Ed Trefzger on the call.
Live stats will also be available.
Follow the Tigers as they make a push towards their third consecutive Atlantic Hockey Championship.
