Men's Hockey | 2/17/2016 8:27:00 AM

ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT men's hockey team continues its push towards the postseason with a home-and-home series with Niagara University this weekend. On Friday, the Tigers head to Niagara's Dwyer Arena for a 7:05 p.m. start, while the two teams meet on Saturday evening at the Gene Polisseni Center, also at 7:05 p.m.
 
Tickets are available for both games online at www.rithockey.com, the Gene Polisseni Center Box Office, or by calling (585) 475-4121. Saturday is also fan appreciation night at the Gene Polisseni Center. There will be a series of giveaways throughout the evening. RIT students will receive free admission (one ticket per ID) courtesy of Campus Life and Residential Life.
 
RIT enters the second to last weekend of the regular season with 30 points, good for third in the league standings, one behind Air Force, and one ahead of Holy Cross. RIT can finish as high as first and as low as sixth. The top five finishers receive a first round bye in the Atlantic Hockey Tournament, which begins March 4. The top four seeds host a best-of-three quarterfinal series starting March 11.
 
Last weekend, RIT fired 103 shots in a home split against American International. On Friday, RIT fell to the Yellow Jackets, 5-4. Erik Brown (Keene, Ontario/Kemptville 73's), Brad Shumway (Lafayette, CO/Chicago Steel), Abbott Girduckis (Belleville, Ontario/Wellington Dukes), and Todd Skirving (Thunder Bay, Ontario/Sioux Falls Stampede) scored. On Saturday, RIT out-shot AIC, 54-15, scoring three first period goals in a 3-2 win. Josh Mitchell (Osoyoos, British Columbia/Alberni Valley Bulldogs) and Myles Powell (Courtenay, British Columbia/Cowichan Valley Capitals) had a goal and an assist apiece, while Liam Kerins (Caledon, Ontario/North York Rangers) also scored.
 
Goaltender Nick Amato (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Northern Cyclones), who spent last season with the RIT club hockey program, made his first two Division I starts last weekend and on Feb. 13, picked up his first collegiate win over American International. Josh Mitchell (Osoyoos, British Columbia/Alberni Valley Bulldogs) is ninth nationally with 20 points in 14 games since Jan. 1. His 17 assists over that span leads Division I. He has 80 points over the last two seasons, third most by one player in consecutive seasons in RIT's Division I history. Mitchell has 113 career points at RIT, one point shy of fifth in RIT's Division I era.
 
Niagara enters the weekend with a 5-20-5 record, including a 5-15-4 mark in league play, which gives them 14 points, which is tied for tenth in the AHC standings. Last weekend, the Purple Eagles recorded back-to-back ties in a home and home series against Mercyhurst by consecutive 2-2 scores. Derian Plouffe leads Niagara with 11 goals and 17 points, while Vinny Muto has a team-best 10 assists.  In net, Jackson Teichroeb returned from injury in December and is 3-7-2 with a 2.26 goals against average and a .920 save percentage.
 
RIT and Niagara met for a home and home series on Dec. 11-12, 2015. On Dec. 11 at the Polisseni Center, Niagara's Jackson Teichroeb stopped 24 shots, while Dan Kolenda scored both goals in a 2-0 win. The next night, RIT scored three power-play goals in a 4-2 win at Dwyer Arena. Myles Powell (Courtenay, British Columbia/Cowichan Valley Capitals) had a goal and Mike Rotolo (Rochester, NY/Cedar Rapids Roughriders) made 24 saves for the victory.
 
RIT is 3-1-2 against the Purple Eagles over the last six meetings and have won two straight at Niagara's Dwyer Arena.
 
Both games will be aired live on Time Warner Cable Sports in Rochester. On Friday, Sal Capaccio and David Miller are on the call from Dwyer Arena. On Saturday, Gene Battaglia and John DiTullio will be on the call from the Polisseni Center. In addition, both contests will be broadcast over the airwaves on WITR 89.7 FM and witr.rit.edu. Online video is also available, along with live stats Friday and Saturday.

Come out and support the Tigers as they look to repeat as Atlantic Hockey Champions.