ROCHESTER, N.Y. - The RIT Men's Hockey team plays Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) rival Niagara twice this weekend, heading to Dwyer Arena on Friday (6:05 p.m.) before returning home to the Gene Polisseni Center, Saturday (5:05 p.m.). 
 
The Tigers look to bounce back from a back-to-back losses to Canisius last weekend, falling 5-3 in Buffalo last Friday before coming up short, 4-1, at home on Saturday.
 
Since earning a 2-1 overtime victory opposite visiting RIT on Nov. 18, Niagara is 1-9 over its last 10 outings, including a pair of losses to Mercyhurst on the road, 3-0, last Friday, and 4-2, at home last Saturday to extend a six-game losing streak.
 
FOLLOW LIVE
Watch: FloHockey.tv/watch
PxP/Color (Saturday): Gene Battaglia, John DiTullio
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, Matt Campbell
Live Stats: ritathletics.com/sidearmstats/mhockey
 
TIGER REWIND
RIT lost both ends of an AHA doubleheader with Canisius last weekend. In Friday's opener, RIT first-year forward Caleb Elfering scored a power play goal 1:14 into the game before the Golden Griffins outscored the Tigers, 3-1, in the second period and tallied early in the third for a 4-2 lead. RIT pulled back within one with 15:33 remaining on a goal by first-year forward William Moore, but Canisius held the Tigers scoreless the rest of the way while adding a late empty-net goal to seal the victory. Junior forward Christian Catalano accounted for the other Tiger goal - his eighth of the season - as RIT fell despite out-shooting Canisius, 39-19.
 
Canisius scored three unanswered goals in the first period of Saturday's rematch and built a 4-0 lead midway through the second that proved decisive. RIT got on the board with a power-play goal by first-year forward Evan Konyen 2:10 into the third to break up the shutout as the Tigers lost at home for the first time in nine outings.
 
THREE PLAYERS NOMINATED FOR HOBEY BAKER AWARD
Junior forward Christian Catalano, sophomore goaltender Jakub Krbecek and junior defenseman Ben Roger were nominated for the 2026 Hobey Baker Award, presented annually to the nation's top collegiate men's hockey player. The trio is among 87 players from across the country who were announced Tuesday.
 
TOP CAT
Junior forward Christian Catalano has totaled 15 points on eight goals and seven assists so far this season, including two game-winning goals, while ranking eight in Atlantic Hockey in shots on goal. He recently scored the overtime winner in the Tigers' 3-2 victory over Robert Morris (Jan. 10) and also notched what proved to be the deciding tally in the 4-1 win over Mercyhurst (Nov. 7). Catalano is the Tigers' active leading scorer with 55 points over the last three seasons on 24 goals and 31 assists.
 
KRBECEK APPEAL
Sophomore goaltender Jakub Krbecek was named to the watch list for the 2026 Mike Richter Award, annually presented to the top goaltender in NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey since 2014.
• Krbecek entered the week tied for seventh in the country in victories with a 13-9-0 record, while his 2.08 goals against average ranked 13th and his and his .924 save percentage was tied for 14th.
• He tied a career-high with 44 saves in a 1-0 win over eighth-ranked Penn State (Jan. 3) for his first career shutout.
• Krbecek was named the AHA Goaltender of the Month after compiling a 4-1-0 record in five October starts, highlighted by a 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 (Nov. 4) after combining to stop 42 of 44 shots in back-to-back wins over Colgate.
 
ROGER THAT
Junior defenseman Ben Roger has established himself as one of the top AHA defenseman during his first collegiate season, ranking fifth among the conference's blueliners with 13 points on three goals and 10 assists. He recently scored a career-high three points on a goal and two assists during the 4-1 victory over Robert Morris and also logged a goal, an assist and three blocked shots in the Tigers 7-3 setback at then eighth-ranked Penn State (Jan. 4).

MAHAN NOMINATED FOR HOCKEY HUMANITARIAN AWARD
Senior captain Tyler Mahan was nominated for the 2026 Hockey Humanitarian Award, presented annually to college hockey's finest citizen – "a student-athlete who makes significant contributions not only to his or her team but also to the community-at-large through leadership in volunteerism" since 1995.
• During his sophomore season, Mahan met Mason Scherer, a young boy from the Rochester area who was struggling in school. Now 11 years old, Mason faced challenges with a stutter and a learning disability, which unfortunately made him a target for getting picked on.
• Seeking a positive influence for his son, Mason's father, David, reached out to the RIT Men's Hockey team in search of a mentor. Mahan eagerly stepped into the role, and over the years, the two have developed a close bond, maintaining regular contact through calls and texts.
• With Mahan as a role model, Mason's confidence has grown exponentially, leading to significant improvements in his social life and school performance.
Finalists will be announced in February, before the 2026 Hockey Humanitarian Award recipient will be announced on Friday, April 10th during the NCAA Men's Frozen Four weekend in Las Vegas.
 
THE KILLERS
RIT enters the weekend ranked ninth nationally and first in the AHA with an .859 penalty killing percentage, only allowing 11 goals in 78 opponent power play attempts this season. RIT also sits 17th nationally in scoring defense, only allowing 2.50 goals per game.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
• RIT is currently 11-2 when scoring at least three goals but is 2-9 when scoring fewer than three goals
• RIT is 12-2 when holding opponents under three goals, but 1-9 when allowing three or more goals.
• The Tigers are 13-2 when holding at least a share of the lead after two periods this season, including a  9-0 mark when leading after 40 minutes of play. However, RIT is 0-9 when trailing entering the third period.
 
KING KONYEN
First-year forward Even Konyen leads RIT with nine goals and is tied for first with 17 points. In the seven games since returning from holiday break, he has totaled five goals and three assists, including the game-winner in the 1-0 shutout of No. 8/9 Penn State (Jan. 3) en route to becoming the Tigers' third AHA Rookie of the Week, joining Zach Wigle (Nov. 11) and Caleb Elfering (Oct. 28).
 
ZACH ATTACK
First-year forward Zach Wigle is tied for first for RIT with 17 points on five goals and a team-best 12 assists. He registered his second-straight game with two assists in last Friday's Canisius setback, before going scoreless on Saturday to snap a six-game point streak that saw him total a goal and seven assists. He has also logged double-digit faceoff wins in six-straight contests, winning 59.9 percent of his draws during the run, including a career-high 16-of-23 showing in the 1-0 upset of No. 8/9 Penn State (Jan. 3).
 
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.
 
EVERYBODY EATS
Seventeen Tigers have scored at least one goal this season, while 22 of the 24 total skaters have notched at least one point.
 
TIGERS VS. NIAGARA
Friday's game will mark the 61st all-time D1-era meeting between RIT and Niagara. The Tigers trail the all-time series, 20-25-15, including a 10-10-7 home record and a 9-14-7 road mark. RIT lost a 2-1 overtime setback (Nov. 18) earlier this season that snapped a nine-game Tiger win streak.  RIT first-year forward Evan Konyen scored the lone goal of the first period, before the Purple Eagles drew even early in the second. Following a scoreless third, Niagara found the game-winner 2:26 into OT. Sophomore goaltender Jakub Krbecek finished the night with 20 saves.