BELFAST, Northern Ireland - The RIT Men's Hockey team heads to Belfast, Northern Ireland for the 2025 Friendship Four Tournament. The Tigers will square off with first-time opponent Miami (Ohio) on Friday before taking on either Union or Sacred Heart on Saturday  at the SSE Arena - home of the Belfast Giants – with the coveted Belpot Trophy 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. 

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TIGER REWIND
RIT fell at Bentley, 3-2, last Friday for its second loss in as many games following a nine-game winning streak. Senior forward Austin Brimmer gave RIT a 1-0 lead at 11:15 of the first before Bentley answered less than five minutes later and then took the lead less than three minutes into the second. The Falcons later led 3-1 midway through the third before Tiger first-year forward Caleb Elfering tallied a 6-on-5 goal with 38 seconds remaining in regulation to close the scoring.

KRBECEK APPEAL
Following a nine-game winning streak sophomore Jakub Krbecek looks to get back on track after suffering back-to-back losses last week. He was credited with 20 saves in the overtime loss at Niagara before making 23 in the Bentley setback. Among qualifying goaltenders, he enters Friday's game ranked third nationally with a 1.67 goals against average and fourth with a .935 save percentage, while his 9-4-0 record tied him for 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 ranked sixth nationally in scoring defense, only allowing 2.00 goals per game. Also ranked second in Atlantic Hockey with 3.15 goals per game, the Tigers sat 13th in scoring margin, out-scoring their opponents by 1.15 goals per game. Additionally, only two teams in the country had both scored more goals and given up fewer goals than RIT-- No. 3 Michigan State. and No. 4 Denver.

EVERYBODY EATS
Through 13 games to start the season, 17 Tigers have scored at least one goal, while 20 of the 24 total skaters have notched at least one point. Junior defenseman Ben Roger notched his first goal of the season in the 2-1 win at Robert Morris before sophomore forward Ty Whyte notched his first goal and point of the season the following night in the 3-2 win against the Colonials to become the latest two players to get into the goal scoring action. 

THE KILLERS
RIT also moved up to second nationally while leading the AHA with a .927 penalty killing percentage, only allowing three goals in 41 opponent power play attempts this season.

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.

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 and most recently tallied his third goal of the season in last Friday's Bentley setback.

RIT VS. THE FRIENDSHIP FOUR FIELD
While RIT will take on Miami (Ohio) for the first time in D1-era program history this Friday, the Tigers have faced their AHA rival Sacred Heat 57 times and Union nine. RIT owns a 34-20-3 all-time record versus Sacred Heart, but is 4-5-1 in the last 10 matchups, including 6-1 and 1-0 setbacks to open the season at home last month. RIT is 1-7-1 in nine all-time meetings with Union, snapping an eight-game winless streak opposite the Garnett Chargers with an 8-5 victory in their most recent meeting in the 2022 Brick City Homecoming game at Blue Cross Arena.

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. 

GOOD BY TENSION, HELLO PENSION
For the first time since 1998, a coach not named Wayne Wilson was behind the RIT bench when the puck dropped on the 2025-26 season. The winningest coach in program history, Wilson announced his retirement in April following a 26-year run with the Tigers, including all 20 seasons at the Division I level following the program's ascension from the Division III ranks in 2005-06. Inducted into the RIT Sports Hall of Fame during the Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend festivities earlier this season, Wilson is the winningest coach in program history, finishing his career 33rd in NCAA Men's Hockey history with a 471-337-82 record. 

THE POOL GOT DEEPER
Due to new NIL rules, players from the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) are eligible to play NCAA hockey for the first time in 2025-26, which has dramatically altered recruiting and roster construction across the country. Of the 11 new players on RIT's 2025-26 roster, five have OHL playing experience, while two others came via the transfer portal.

DON'T LOOK BACK IN ANGER
RIT looks to bounce back from a 10-23-2 finish as season ago - the fewest wins in a non-COVID shortened season since 2005-06 (RIT's first at the D1 level). Sixteen players return from last year's squad, including junior forward Christian Catalano who finished third on the squad with 23 points (7G/16A). Senior defenseman Xavier Lapointe (5G/10A) and sophomore defenseman Tristan Allen (2G/13A) also return after tying for fifth on the squad with 15 points apiece.

RETURN TO GLORY
Nine returners (6 seniors, 3 juniors) also saw action two years ago during the Tigers' run to a 27-11-2 record that included the program's fourth Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) Championship and appearance in the NCAA Tournament.   

CAPTAIN, OH CAPTAIN
A captain and four alternate captains were announced prior to the start of the season. Senior forward Tyler Mahan was voted captain, while senior forward Austin Brimmer, senior forward Simon Isabelle, senior forward Adam Jeffery and junior defenseman Kevin Scott were tabbed assistants. 

HEAD FOR THE HILLS
The 2025-26 season also marks the first in 20 years without Associate Head Coach Brian Hills behind the bench. Announcing his retirement in May, Hills joined Wayne Wilson's staff prior to RIT's inaugural NCAA Division I season and was a driving force behind the program that won 10 Atlantic Hockey Championships, including four tournament titles and six regular-season crowns. He was named the 2011 Terry Flanagan Award winner by the American Hockey Coaches of America (AHCA), which annually honors an outstanding assistant coach's body of work.

A SORT OF HOMECOMING
When Matt Thomas looked to fill out his coach staff alongside returning Associate Head Coach Dave Insalaco, he welcomed back former RIT standouts Shane Madolora '12 and Josh Mitchell '16 over the summer. An All-American goaltender during his time in Rochester, Madolora graduated as RIT's Division I-era career leader with a .932 save percentage, which is still tied for 11th in NCAA history. He is also tops with a 1.97 goals against average, which remains tied for 20th in the NCAA record book. One of only five D1-era RIT players to eclipse 120 career points, Mitchell remains fifth all-time with 121 points. He also graduated with 90 career assists—one of only two Tigers who have ever hit the milestone and played 154 career games, which ranks fifth in program history and the most ever by a four-year player. 

LONG STORY SHORT 
Senior forward Tyler Mahan returned with five career shorthanded goals to his name -- tied for the most in the nation entering the season. The owner of 20 career goals and 38 career points prior to the start of his final campaign, Mahan scored three shorties during his first year in a Tiger uniform and has scored one each of the last two seasons. Union's Carter Korpi also returns with five shorthanded goals to his name.  

SIMON SAYS DROP THE PUCK
Senior forward Simon Isabelle returned after finishing 18th nationally with 390 faceoff victories and among the nation's leaders with a .570 faceoff winning percentage. He was also the Tigers' top returner with 44 career points on 21 goals and 23 assists entering the season. 

A BIT DRAFTY IN HERE
For the third time in program history, RIT has a player on the roster that was taken in the NHL Entry Draft. Junior defenseman Ben Roger was picked in the second round (49th overall) of the 2021 draft by the Ottawa Senators. Anthony Hamburg, who was taken in the seventh round (193rd overall) by the Minnesota Wild in 2009, played two seasons (2012-14) at RIT after transferring from Colgate. Tiger All-American Bill Gall was taken in the fifth round (104th overall) by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1987 before playing four seasons with the Division III Tigers from 1987-91.

SAVINGS ACCOUNT
Sophomore Jakub Krbecek totaled at least 30 saves in 14 of the 18 games he started last season. A three-time AHA Rookie of the Week honoree, he won the award following back-to-back victories at Air Force (Jan. 31-Feb. 1), including 34 saves to backstop a 2-1 opening win. Krbecek was credited with a career-high 44 stops in the 2-1 loss at Bowling Green (Dec. 29) and also made 43 saves in the 2-1 OT loss to the visiting Falcons (Oct. 19) during the Brick City Homecoming game at Blue Cross Arena. He won the first of two-straight AHA Rookie of the Week honors after making 32 saves in a 3-2 win over Clarkson (Oct. 6) to win his first collegiate start. He logged his first career point with an assist to go along with 33 saves in the 6-2 win over Bentley (Nov. 9). Mike Rotolo '17 previously held the mark for the most 30-save games by a RIT first-year in D1-era program history with eight. 

AHA PRESEASON POLL
RIT was picked eighth in the 2025-26 Atlantic Hockey America Preseason Coaches' Poll. Sacred Heart was voted first, including seven first-place votes, followed by Holy Cross (two first-place votes) and defending champion Bentley (1). Niagara, Army, Air Force, Canisius, RIT, Robert Morris and Mercyhurst rounded out the 10-team poll, respectively.

ROAD TO THE NATTY WILL GO THROUGH ROCHESTER
RIT was selected to host one of four regional championships to start the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament in 2028. RIT will host two opening-round contests as well as second-round game at the Blue Cross Arena in downtown Rochester, N.Y. The games will either be played on Thursday, March 23rd and Saturday, March 25th or on Friday, March 24th and Sunday, March 26th, to be announced the Sunday prior to the tournament. The winner of the regional championship will advance to the Frozen Four, to be played at the United Center in Chicago.

TIGERS IN THE NHL
Former RIT standout defenseman Chris Tanev enters his 17th season in the NHL. He spent his first 11 with the Vancouver Canucks before signing a free agent contract with the Calgary Flames prior to the 2020-21 season. Traded to the Dallas Stars for the 2024 playoffs, he then signed a free-agent contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the offseason. Voted the 2010 AHA Rookie of the Year, Tanev made his NHL debut on Jan. 18, 2011, becoming the first RIT player to appear in an NHL contest. Entering the 2025-26 season, he has played in 867 NHL games with 36 goals and 172 assists for 208 career points along with a career +/- of plus-153. He won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2016 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships and later was named a finalist for the NHL's Masterton Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey in 2022. Tanev tallied 28 points (10-18-28) and was plus-33 in 41 games for RIT in 2009-10. He and another former Tiger, Steve Pinizzotto (2005-07), were teammates with Vancouver in 2012-13. Pinizzotto tallied 57 points (20-37-57) in 54 career games for the Tigers and appeared in 36 NHL games with two goals and four assists. 

RIT's NCAA DIVISION II/III HISTORY
RIT has made 16 NCAA Tournament appearances since 1983. RIT won the 1983 Division II National Championship before winning the Division III National Championship in 1985. The Tigers also finished as Division III runner-up in 1989, 1996 and 2001 while making semifinal appearances in 1984, 1986, 1999, and 2010. Overall, RIT was 26-15-4 in NCAA contests at the DII/III level and is 3-2 in five Division I tournament showings. The Tigers made the NCAA Tournament in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2010, 2015, and 2016.

FINAL FOUR FRENZY
RIT was the first team in NCAA history to reach the Frozen Four in its first postseason appearance in 2010 and was also the first Atlantic Hockey team to reach the national semifinals. RIT was one win away from duplicating that feat in 2014-15 after upsetting overall top-seed Minnesota State, 1-0, in the Midwest Region Semifinals.