Men's Hockey | 11/7/2019 9:37:00 AM

ROCHESTER, NY -- When RIT's men's hockey team returns to the ice this weekend, they'll be looking to maintain their hold on first place in Atlantic Hockey.

The Tigers (3-0-1, 6-1-1) play a home-and-home series with Niagara University (0-2, 0-6), hosting the Purple Eagles at 7:05 p.m. Friday before traveling to Niagara for a rematch at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday.

RIT played at the Gene Polisseni Center for the first time last weekend and earned four of a possible six points in the series with Holy Cross. The Tigers were 7-4 winners on Friday and the teams tied 3-3 on Saturday, with the Crusaders gaining the extra point in the standings by winning the shootout.

Freshman winger Andrew Rinaldi (Pierrefonds, Quebec/Wellington Dukes) scored three goals in Friday's victory, then the Tigers used a goal by senior winger Shawn Cameron (Sherbrooke, Quebec/Cumberland Grads) (Sherbrooke, Quebec/Cumberland Grads) with 1:06 left in regulation to gain the tie on Saturday.

"At first I was disappointed with our Saturday game but when you look back at it, we're 3-0-1 in our league and of a possible 12 points we've got 10," coach Wayne Wilson said.

"So when you look at it that way, we should be happy with what we've accomplished and reflective of how hard it is to win."

The standings would suggest winning will be a little easier this weekend, since Niagara has lost all six games it has played. But easy nights are rarely, if ever, the case in Atlantic Hockey.

Two of the losses by the Purple Eagles were to Denver, No. 1 ranked team in the country. The first two losses were at the University of Minnesota.

"They've been to Minnesota, they've been to Denver, tough places to play, tough teams to play," Wilson said. "And they have almost the same team that put us out (of the Atlantic Hockey playoffs) last year. So I think there's a healthy respect for them."

RIT has had the luxury of a balanced lineup, and with a healthy roster, the coaching staff has tried to ensure everyone gets ice time. Having an entire extra line creates healthy competition, Wilson said.

"We've got a pretty balanced lineup and that's what makes it difficult, because sometimes guys don't deserve to come out," Wilson said. "As long as we're healthy, I think we have to keep everyone playing; you don't want anyone sitting too long."

One reason for the logjam, he said, is that the freshmen have been providing larger-than-expected contributions. Rinaldi has four goals, all at even strength. Elijah Gonsalves (Scarborough, Ontario/Wellington Dukes) twice has been named Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Week.

Where there hasn't been change: In goal. Junior Logan Drackett (Calgary, Alberta/Calgary Canucks) has started every game and has a 1.74 goals-against average and .946 save percentage. Drackett was named Goaltender of the Month in Atlantic Hockey for October, when he went 5-1 with the nation's best goals-against average (1.17) and save percentage (.966).

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