RIT men’s hockey captains Erik Brown and Abbott Girduckis sign professional deals
ROCHESTER, NY – Senior captains Erik Brown (Keene, Ontario/Kemptville 73’s) and Abbott Girduckis (Belleville, Ontario/Wellington Dukes) of the RIT men’s hockey team have signed professional contracts for the remainder of the 2018-19 season. Brown signed with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL), while Girduckis joined the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL.
Brown, a 2018 All-Atlantic Hockey first team selection and 2019 third team pick, led RIT with 18 goals this season and added 11 assists for 29 points. On. Jan. 11, Brown became the 11th player in RIT’s Division I history to reach 100 points in his career in a win over American International. He also tallied a hat-trick in a 6-1 win over Colgate on Oct. 20. He is also one of 10 finalists for the 2018-19 Senior CLASS Award.
Brown, who set a Division I team single-season mark with 29 goals last year, finished his four-year career with 70 goals, which is RIT’s Division I school record. He is seventh in RIT’s Division I era with 115 career points on 70 goals and 45 assists in 148 games. Brown finished second all-time in the Division I era with 26 power-play goals and 11 game-winning markers.
Girduckis, a 2019 All-Atlantic Hockey second team selection, led RIT in scoring in 2018-19 with career-best totals of 11 goals, 25 assists and 36 points in 38 games. Girduckis, the Atlantic Hockey Player of the Week on Jan. 8, recorded 10 multiple-point games in 2018-19, including a career-best four assists in a 6-1 win over Colgate at Blue Cross Arena as part of RIT’s Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend on Oct. 20.
In four seasons, Girduckis recorded 93 career points on 30 goals and 63 assists in 146 games, while taking just 20 minutes in penalties.
RIT finished with 17 wins and advanced to the Atlantic Hockey Semifinals in 2018-19.
