ROCHESTER, N.Y. - The RIT Men's Hockey team continues its six-game road swing with a single game at Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) rival Bentley this Friday at 7:05 p.m. The Tigers look to get back on track after having a nine-game winning streak snapped with a 2-1 OT setback at Niagara, Tuesday, while Bentley looks to remain unbeaten in conference play.
 
FOLLOW LIVE
Watch: FloHockey.tv/watch
Local Audio: WITR 89.7 FM or FOX Sports 1280 AM
Web Audio: witr.rit.edu or foxsports1280.iheart.com
PxP/Color: Ed Trefzger, Scott Biggar
Live Stats: bentleyfalcons.com/sidearmstats/mhockey
 
TIGER REWIND
RIT saw what was tied for the nation's longest winning streak come to an end, Tuesday, following a 2-1 overtime loss at Niagara.
 
RIT first-year forward Evan Konyen scored the lone goal of the first period, redirecting a shot by first-year forward Zach Wigle over the Purple Eagle goaltender at 16:26. First-year forward William Moore was also credited with an assist on the play after feeding Wigle from below the goal line.  The Purple Eagles completed a rush off a Tiger neutral zone turnover to draw even at 2:02 of the second and, following a scoreless third period, found the game-winner 2:26 into OT.
 
KRBECEK APPEAL
Sophomore Jakub Krbecek suffered his first loss in 10 games, Tuesday, totaling 20 saves in the one-goal loss at Niagara. Among qualifying goaltenders, he enters Friday's game ranked third nationally with a 1.55 goals against average and fourth with a .940 save percentage, while his 9-2-0 record puts him third in wins this season. Krbecek was named the AHA Goaltender of the Month after compiling a 4-1-0 record in five October starts, highlighted by a season-high 39-save performance during the 7-3 win over Air Force (Oct. 25) and 28 saves in the 6-2 win over Clarkson (Oct. 18) in the Brick City Homecoming game. He also landed his first career AHA Goaltender of the Week honor after combining to stop 42 of 44 shots versus Colgate, including 28 saves in the 4-1 win after stopping 14 of 15 shots in the opening 3-1 win.
 
MORE IS BETTER THAN LESS
RIT entered the week leading the AHA and ranked among the national leaders in four categories. The Tigers were 14th in the country with 3.45 goals per game, seventh in scoring defense only allowing 1.91 goals per game, and eighth in scoring margin, out-scoring their opponents by 1.55 goals per game. Additionally, only one team in the country had both scored more goals and given up fewer goals than RIT. In 12 games, Denver had scored 44 goals (RIT 38) while only allowing 20 (RIT 21). 
 
THE KILLERS
RIT also enter Friday's game ranked third nationally and first in the AHA with a .923 penalty killing percentage, only allowing three goals in 39 opponent power play attempts this season.
 
EVERYBODY EATS
Through 12 games to start the season, 17 Tigers have scored at least one goal, while 20 of the 23 total skaters have notched at least one point. Junior defenseman Ben Roger notched his first goal of the season in last Friday's 2-1 win at Robert Morris before sophomore forward Ty Whyte notched his first goal and point of the season in Saturday's 3-2 win against the Colonials to become the latest two players to get into the goal scoring action.
 
POLL WATCHING
RIT received votes in the USCHO.com poll for the second-straight week. After debuting with two votes on Nov. 10, the Tigers received 15 votes this week. RIT also received 10 votes this week for its first appearance in the USA Hockey national rankings.
 
TIGERS VS. BENTLEY
Tuesday's game will mark the 50th all-time meeting between RIT and Bentley. The Tigers lead the all-time series, 28-17-4, including a 15-6-3 record on the road. RIT is 9-2-1 over the last 12 meetings, including a road split opposite the Falcons in Waltham last November, falling 5-0 before winning 6-2. RIT will also host Bentley later this season for a single game on Friday, Feb. 20 in the regular season home finale.
 
WE'RE GOING STREAKING!
RIT's nine-game winning streak was the third-longest Division I-era run in program history and was the second-longest regular season run.
 
RIT SELECTED TO PLAY IN 2025 FRIENDSHIP FOUR
After returning home from Friday's trip to Bentley, RIT will fly across the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday for the 2025 Friendship Four in Belfast, Northern Ireland month. The Tigers will square off with Miami (Ohio) on Friday (Nov. 28) before taking on either Union or Sacred Heart on Saturday (Nov. 29) at the SSE Arena - home of the Belfast Giants – with the coveted Belpot going to the winner. The only NCAA intercollegiate ice hockey tournament to take place outside of the United States, The Friendship Four men's tournament has been played six times since the inaugural event in 2015. RIT and Sacred Heart will be the first two Atlantic Hockey teams to play in the event.
 
ROOKIE COOKIES
RIT first-years William Moore, Zach Wigle and Evan Konyen have made an immediate impact to start their careers in a Tiger uniform. Playing on the same line in all but one game thus far, the trio has totaled 25 points on 11 goals and 14 assists to date. Konyen and Wigle have each tallied nine points on four goals and five assists, while Moore has notched three goals - including back-to-back game-winners opposite Air Force (Oct. 25) and Colgate (Oct. 31) - along with four assists.  
 
ELF OFF THE SHELF
First-year forward Caleb Elfering was voted the AHA Rookie of the Month for October. Elfering finished the month with six points on two goals and four assists. He totaled three points during the Air Force sweep, starting with an assist and two blocked shots in the 5-1 win before adding a goal and two assists in the 7-3 victory to land AHA Rookie of the Week recognition. He also scored his first goal in a Tiger sweater during the homecoming victory over Clarkson.
 
MEET THE NEW BOSS
RIT Head Coach Matt Thomas is off to a solid start to his first season behind the bench in Rochester. The former RIT captain took the reins at his alma mater last spring, becoming only the eighth head coach in program history dating back to 1962-63. Thomas jumped right into coaching after graduating in 1998 and has over 26 years of experience at both the NCAA Division I and professional ranks, including the last four seasons as an assistant coach with the Providence Bruins – the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the NHL Boston Bruins. RIT was one of a record 11 Division I men's hockey teams that made a coaching change this offseason – the most in the 78-year history of NCAA Division I men's hockey.