7:05 p.m. | Olympia Ice Center | 125 Capital Drive | West Springfield, Mass. | Video | Live Stats
LEADERS:
AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL:
Goals: Austin Orszulak 3
Assists: Brandon Lubin 3, Austin Orszulak 3, three players tied with 2
Points: Austin Orszulak 6, five players tied with 3
Goaltenders: Alex Murray: 0-3-0, 6.79 GAA, .837 SV %
Hunter Leisner: 0-3-0, 5.39 GAA, .870 SV %
Special Teams: PP 2-for-16 (12.5%), PK 10-for-17 (59%)
RIT:
Goals: Todd Skirving 2, Gregory Amlong 2
Assists: Mark Goldberg 3, three players tied with 2
Points: Gabe Valenzuela 3, Mark Goldberg 3, five players tied with 2
Goaltenders: Mike Rotolo: 0-3-1, 4.18 GAA, .870 SV %
Christian Short: 0-1-0, 3.03 GAA, .885 SV %
Special Teams: PP 2-for-17 (12%), PK 15-for-20 (75%)
WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. The American International College men's ice hockey squad continues conference play this weekend as the welcome defending league champion the Rochester Institute of Technology to the Olympia Ice Center for a pair of contests on Friday and Saturday evening with both start times at 7:05 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT: AIC dropped their home opener to Sacred Heart on Tuesday evening by a 4-1 score. The Jackets scored first on a power-play goal in the first period, but the Pioneers recorded four unanswered goals including a pair on the power-play themselves for the victory.
LAST TIME THEY MET: Last season the teams played to a 3-3 tie before the Tigers got the better of the Jackets the following night with a 3-2 victory. Both games were played in Rochester at the Gene Polisseni Center. This weekend's series marks the first two games of four this season between the teams as AIC will travel to RIT for a pair of contests in February.
ALL-TIME SERIES: RIT leads the all-time series 3-25-3 with the last AIC victory coming during the 2010-11 season with a 6-2 triumph right here at the Olympia Ice Center.
MY HOMETOWN: Junior Austin Orszulak continues to be the must see attraction in Springfield, Mass. as the local product is averaging a point per game so far this season with three goals and three assists for six points. The alternate captain had great success against RIT last season as he recorded a pair of goals one in each contest. He also registered the game-tying marker with just seven seconds remaining in the third period sending the game to overtime in the teams 3-3 tie in Rochester.
FRESHMAN FURY: This past weekend against Penn State three rookies scored their first career goals and so far this season five freshman have secured goals and another has added an assist to total six of nine freshman with points already on the season. Travis Douglas registered one goal and an assist in the series finale against the Nittany Lions while Marc Dubeau and Lucas Bombardier each have a goal and assist with Johnny Mueller totaling one goal and a pair of helpers for three points and Shawn McBride has a pair of scores and one helper to lead the rookie class.
ABOUT RIT: Senior Gregory Amlong and junior Todd Skirving pace the Tigers with a pair of goals as the only multi-goal scorers on this young season while sophomore Mark Golberg and freshman Gabe Valenzuela lead the way with three points apiece.
POWER-PLAY STRUGGLES: Both squads struggle with the man-advantage as AIC is just 2/16 and RIT is 2/17. However, the Tigers have been successful on the PK so far this season killing off 15-of-20 while the Jackets have haulted 10-of-17 opposing man-advantages.
LIGHT THE LAMP: AIC is currently third in Atlantic Hockey with 14 goals on the season through the first six games only below Mercyhurst (32) and Robert Morris (19) while the Tigers have only scored eight times this season placing them only ahead of Army West Point (5).
FAST START, SLOW FINISH: So far this season AIC has scored the opening goal of the game in four contests even holding two-goal leads on a pair of occasions. But they are being outscored 16-2 in the second period so far this season. The Jackets have scored six goals in both the first and third periods as they have started fast and finished fast, but have been unable to adjust to the second period.
ROAD WARRIORS: AIC has already traveled over 10,000 miles this season with trips to UNH, Alaska and Penn State and all told the Jackets will travel 18,758 miles this season for road contests. So it's nice to be home for this weekend set.
HALLOWEEKEND: It is only fitting that AIC host RIT this weekend as the Tigers sport the colors Black and Orange which are commonly known as the colors that signify Halloween. Saturday's game will feature Hockey Halloween with the Yellow Jackets and if you show up dressed in your Halloween costume you will receive free entry into the game!
