Men's Hockey | 2/21/2017 2:27:00 PM
ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT men's hockey team wraps up the regular season by making the trip on I-90 to face Atlantic Hockey rival Mercyhurst University from the Mercyhurst Ice Center at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25.
The two-time defending Atlantic Hockey Champion Tigers enter the final weekend eighth in the league standings with 24 points, while Mercyhurst is just ahead of the Tigers, tied for fifth with 26 points. RIT can finish as high as sixth or as low as ninth in the league standings. The Tigers would guarantee themselves home ice for next weekend's Atlantic Hockey First Round series, with a win, tie, or one Sacred Heart loss. Mercyhurst can finish as high as fifth or as low as eighth in the league standings.
RIT (12-20-1, 12-15-0 Atlantic Hockey) dropped a pair of crucial Atlantic Hockey home contests to No. 19 Air Force last weekend, losing by scores of 4-2 on Friday and 3-2 on Saturday.
Liam Kerins (Caledon, Ontario/North York Rangers) scored a goal in each game, while
Jordan Peacock (Burlington, Ontario/Burlington Cougars) and
Garrett McMullen (Churchville, NY/Trail Smoke Eaters) also scored.
Mike Rotolo (Rochester, NY/Cedar Rapids Roughriders) made 65 saves on 71 shots over the weekend.
Erik Brown (Keene, Ontario/Kemptville 73's) leads the Tigers in scoring with 25 points on 15 goals and 10 assists.
Myles Powell (Courtenay, British Columbia/Cowichan Valley Capitals) is second with 21 points on 11 goals and 10 assists, while Kerins,
Gabe Valenzuela (Brampton, Ontario/North York Rangers), and
Caleb Cameron (Sundridge, Ontario/Listowel Cyclones) have 20 points apiece.
Adam Brubacher (Elmira, Ontario/Powell River Kings) leads all RIT defensemen and rookies in scoring with 19 points. Rotolo has 12 wins, a 2.71 goals against average, and a .900 save percentage in 32 games played.
Mercyhurst (12-17-4, 11-12-4 Atlantic Hockey) fell to league leader Canisius, 4-0 on Thursday night. Derek Barach leads the Lakers in scoring with 31 points on six goals and 25 assists. Jonathan Charbonneau has a team-best 14 goals, while defenseman Lester Lancaster has 21 points. In goal, Brandon Wildung and Colin DeAugustine have split time. Wildung has appeared in 20 games, with a 7-11-2 record, 3.06 goals against average, and .909 save percentage, while DeAugustine is 5-6-2 with a 2.88 goals against average and a .918 save percentage in 16 contests.
RIT leads the all-time series between the two schools, 38-20-6, including a 22-11-3 mark since moving to Division I in 2005. On Nov. 23, Brown scored the game-winner with 47 seconds to play in a 4-3 RIT victory. Powell scored twice, while Valenzuela added two assists. The Tigers have ended Mercyhurst's season in the postseason each of the past two years.
Saturday's game 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.
RIT will be in action next weekend in a best-of-three Atlantic Hockey First Round series. The best of three series will begin on Friday, March 3, with game two on Saturday, March 4 and if necessary, game three Sunday, March 5.
Follow the Tigers as they make a push towards their third consecutive Atlantic Hockey Championship.
