Men's Hockey | 1/27/2009 2:27:42 PM

ROCHESTER, NY - The RIT men's hockey team, winners of 11 straight games, longest active streak in Division I, hosts the United States Under-18 National Team in a special exhibition game on Friday, January 30 at Blue Cross Arena, starting at 7:05 p.m.

Toshiba is sponsoring Friday's game.

RIT (16-9-1, 15-4-1 AHA) is riding its longest winning streak since the 2000-01 season.  Last weekend, the Tigers swept Canisius, winning by scores of 5-2 and 4-3.  On Sunday, the Tigers trailed 3-1 in the second period and 3-2 with less than six minutes left before netting a pair of goals to keep the streak alive.  Senior forward Brennan Sarazin (Nepean, Ontario/Nepean Raiders) (Nepean, Ontario), scored the game-tying goal with 5:08 left and then set up Mike Janda (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Chicago Steel) (Glen Ellyn, IL) for the game-winning goal with 2:14 left in regulation.

The Tigers lead all of Division I with eight shorthanded goals and have outscored opponents 53-27 during the 11-game winning streak.  RIT is fourth-highest scoring team in Division I and has sensational offensive depth.  Six players have scored at least 22 points, while 12 have at least 10 points.

Jeremy Morin, a native of Auburn, NY, leads the U.S. Under-18 team with 19 goals this season.  He scored a team-best 48 goals for the squad last season.  He is projected to be a first-round draft pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.  The U.S. Under-18 squad is 11-10-1 against NCAA competition this season, including a 5-9-1 mark against Division I teams.  The U.S. squad defeated Alaska-Anchorage, Union, RPI, Harvard and Michigan State and tied #3 Cornell, all on the road earlier in the season.

The United States Under-18 team leads the all-time series between the two schools, 8-5-1.  The two teams last met during the 2005-06 season, with each team winning twice.  Both teams won once at home and on the road. 2009 NHL All-Star Patrick Kane, of the Chicago Blackhawks, tallied eight points (5-3-8) in the four games, including a four-goal outburst in a Tiger win.

In recent years, NHL stars such as Kane, and fellow 2009 NHL All-Stars Mike Komisarek, Zach Parise, along with young stars Phil Kessel, Drew Stafford, Nathan Gerbe, Peter Mueller, Jack Johnson and John-Michael Liles played for the U. S Under-18 team.  Eighteen members of this season's team will be playing Division I college hockey next season.

Tickets are available for Friday's game at the Gordon Field House and Activities Center Box Office or by phone at (585) 475-4121.  Fans can also purchase tickets via ticketmaster.com or at the Blue Cross Arena Box Office.  Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for alumni, faculty and staff and $6 for RIT students (at Gordon Field House only) with ID before Friday.  On Friday, tickets are $12 for adults and $9 for students with ID.

Hope to see you on Friday at 7:05 p.m.