Men's Hockey | 7/12/2010 10:01:53 AM

ROCHESTER, NY – The defending Atlantic Hockey Association and NCAA East Regional Champion RIT men's hockey team will play 34 regular season games and one exhibition contest, as its 2010-11 schedule was unveiled on Monday. The Tigers enter their sixth season at the NCAA Division I level. RIT, which made a historic run to the NCAA Frozen Four and set a team record with 28 wins in 2009-10, will play 14 regular season home games at Ritter Arena on the campus of RIT and one regular season contest at the Blue Cross Arena in downtown Rochester.

The Tigers open their home schedule against UMass Lowell at Blue Cross Arena during Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend on Saturday, October 16 at 7:05 p.m. It is the second straight year RIT will be home during its annual homecoming weekend. Last year, RIT drew a record crowd of 7,421 fans during Brick City weekend against Colgate. RIT will unveil its 2010 Atlantic Hockey Championship and Frozen Four banners in a video ceremony before the game. A record crowd is anticipated for this once in a lifetime event.

On Saturday, October 2, RIT hosts Wilfrid Laurier University of Ontario in an exhibition contest at 3:05 p.m. Shortly after the contest, fans can participate in the annual Skate With the Tigers event.

RIT opens the regular season with a pair of games at the Mutual of Omaha Stampede classic hosted by the University of Nebraska-Omaha. On October 8, RIT plays St. Cloud State at 5:37 p.m. then battles Nebraska-Omaha the next night at 8:07 p.m.

Atlantic Hockey welcomes Niagara and Robert Morris for the 2010-11 season, giving the conference 12 teams. RIT will play Air Force, Canisius, Mercyhurst, Niagara, and Robert Morris three times, and play two games apiece against American International, Army, Bentley, Connecticut, Holy Cross, and Sacred Heart. In all, 27 of RIT's 34 games will be against Atlantic Hockey Association opponents.

RIT's Ritter Arena home opener is on Friday, October 29 against new conference foe Robert Morris at 7:05 p.m.

The Tigers travel to the Capital District to face ECAC foes RPI and Union on October 22-23. On October 30, RIT makes the short drive to historic Lynah Rink and will face 2010 ECAC Champion Cornell for a 7:05 p.m. game. RIT defeated Cornell, 4-1 in the last meeting between the two schools before 5,142 fans at Blue Cross Arena on October 27, 2007. Cornell has defeated RIT twice at Lynah Rink, in 2005-06 and 2006-07.

RIT will ring in 2011 with a home game against Merrimack of Hockey East on January 1 at 7:05 p.m. It will be the final non-conference game of the regular season.

RIT travels to the Mountain Time zone to play one game at Air Force at 8:05 p.m. on November 7. The Falcons play two games at Ritter Arena on February 4-5. The Tigers play rival Canisius at Ritter Arena on December 17 and February 11, then travel to Buffalo to conclude the season series on February 13. The Tigers play two road games at Mercyhurst, Niagara, and Robert Morris, while hosting each team once at Ritter Arena. RIT plays its final 15 games against conference foes.

The Tigers host AHA competitors Connecticut, Sacred Heart, and Bentley, and travel to American International, Army, and Holy Cross.

The Atlantic Hockey Association playoffs begin with four first round games for the fifth through twelfth place finishers on March 5. The top four teams get a first round bye. Quarterfinal action will be held at the top-four sites from March 11-13. The Atlantic Hockey Association Tournament Semifinals and Championship will be held on March 18-19 at the Blue Cross Arena for the fifth straight season.

RIT will look to repeat last year's performance and earn its second straight berth in the NCAA Tournament as a Division I program. The 2011 NCAA Division I Tournament begins on March 25, and ends with the Frozen Four on April 7 and April 9 at the Xcel Energy Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Season ticket packages will go on sale at the RIT hockey tickets website on August 2. Single game tickets go on sale at the Gordon Field House Box Office on September 1.