ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT men’s hockey team plays its final two regular season games of the 2014 calendar year, a home-and-home series against Atlantic Hockey foe Niagara University this weekend. Friday’s game from the Gene Polisseni Center starts at 7:05 p.m., while Saturday’s game from Niagara’s Dwyer Arena also starts at7:05 p.m.
Tickets for Friday’s contest are available at the Gene Polisseni Center and Gordon Field House Box Offices, by calling (585) 475-4121, or by visitingwww.rithockey.com.
On Friday, fans are encouraged to wear an ugly holiday sweater for a chance to win hundreds of great prizes throughout the night. The grand prize is an Xbox One and game bundle. In addition, all fans in attendance will receive a free food certificate courtesy of Bill Gray’s restaurant.
Last time out, RIT (4-8-2, 3-5-2 AHC) dropped a single, non-conference contest on the road at Yale on Nov. 29, 2-0. Mike Rotolo (Rochester, NY/Cedar Rapids Roughriders) made 29 saves in defeat. While despite being shutout for the first time this season and first time since Jan. 24, 2014, RIT generated several great scoring chances in the third period.
Senior captain Matt Garbowsky (St. George, Ontario/Powell River Kings) is tied for second nationally with 11 goals, third with 221 face-off wins, and tied for eighth with 19 points. He had 18 points during a 10-game point-scoring streak from Oct. 18 to Nov. 21. The line of Garbowsky, Josh Mitchell (Osoyoos, British Columbia/Alberni Valley Bulldogs), and Brad McGowan (Langley, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles)have combined for 48 points this season and 51.4 percent of RIT’s goals.
RIT has not allowed a power-play goal over the last four plus games, spanning 17 chances. They have killed off 47 of their opponents’ last 51 power-plays over the last 11 games. RIT’s penalty-killing unit is tied for 17th nationally at 87.7 percent and has added three shorthanded goals.
Senior goaltender Jordan Ruby (Tavistock, Ontario/Wellington Dukes) had started RIT’s last seven games in goal before Yale and is 3-3-2 this season with a 2.10 goals against average and .922 save percentage this season.
Niagara enters the weekend with a 3-11-0 mark overall and is 3-6-0 in league play, sitting 11th with six points. Last weekend, Holy Cross swept the Purple Eagles at home. losing by scores of 4-1 and 4-2. Hugo Turcotte leads the team in scoring with nine points on five goals and four assists. Robert Angiolella is right behind with five goals and three assists. Niagara is getting out-scored 60-27 by its opponents this season. In net, Jackson Teichroeb and Adrian Ignagni have split time. Teichroeb is 3-5-0 with a 3.01 goals against average and .892 save percentage, while Ignagni is 0-6-0 with a 5.17 goals against average and .842 save percentage.
The two teams will also meet in a home-and-home series on Feb. 6-7.
Both games will be aired live on Time Warner Cable Sports Channel 26. As always Gene Battaglia and John DiTullio are on the call from the Gene Polisseni Center. On Saturday, Kevin Sylvester and Chris Panek will bring you the action from Dwyer Arena. The contests will be broadcast over the airwaves on WITR 89.7 FM andwitr.rit.edu, and on America One. Live stats are also available for both contests.
Come out and support your Tigers in their first season at the Gene Polisseni Center.
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Rochester Institute of Technology offers 24 intercollegiate varsity sports, including 22 at the Division III level and Division I men’s and women’s ice hockey. For three decades, U.S. News & World Report has ranked RIT among the nation’s leading comprehensive universities. RIT’s student-athletes are no exception, combining to post a 3.21 grade-point average during the 2013-14 academic year. For complete RIT Athletics news, features, stats, photos, and coverage, visit www.ritathletics.com.
RIT is internationally recognized for academic leadership in business, computing, engineering, imaging science, liberal arts, sustainability, and fine and applied arts. In addition, the university offers unparalleled support services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. RIT enrolls 18,000 full- and part-time students in more than 200 career-oriented and professional programs, and its cooperative education program is one of the oldest and largest in the nation. For RIT news, photos and videos, go towww.rit.edu/news.
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