2015-16 MEN’S ICE HOCKEY GAME NOTES American Int’l Yellow Jackets (5-23-2, 5-16-2 AHC) vs. RIT Tigers (12-11-5, 12-6-4 AHC) February 12-13, 2016 - 7:05 PM - Polisseni Center - Rochester, N.Y. 2015-16 Schedule/Results LAST TIME OUT: AIC dropped a tough non-conference game in over- O October time to UMass-Amherst, 4-3, at the MassMutual Center in downtown 10 New Hampshire L, 3-7 Springfield. 16 Alaska-Fairbanks+ L, 2-7 17 Alaska-Anchorage+ L, 2-6 23 Penn State L, 3-8 ALL-TIME SERIES: RIT holds a commanding 27-3-3 record in the 24 Penn State L, 3-5 27 SACRED HEART* L, 1-4 all-time series which dates back to the 1985-86 season including a 30 RIT* L, 2-4 sweep of the Jackets earlier this year at the Olympia Ice Center over 31 RIT* L, 2-6 November Halloweekend in October. The Yellow Jackets haven’t defeated RIT 6 #20 Robert Morris* W, 3-2 since December 4, 2010 a 6-2 victory in West Springfield. Over the 7 #20 Robert Morris* L, 1-7 10 SACRED HEART* L, 2-5 last 14 meetings, RIT is 12-0-2 versus AIC. 20 Niagara* L, 4-5 (OT) 21 Niagara* W, 4-2 24 Holy Cross* L, 0-3 LAST TIME THEY MET: The Tigers outscored AIC 10-4 in a weekend sweep earlier this season winning 4-2 and 6-2. December 1 Bentley* L, 0-1 11 ARMY* W, 4-3 (OT) HIGH-FIVE: The five goal outburst three weekends ago during a 5-5 12 ARMY* W, 3-2 (OT) tie with Bentley is the best offensive performance for the Jackets all January year and the most goals in a game since another 5-5 tie against No. 2 CANISIUS* W, 3-1 3 CANISIUS* T, 1-1 (OT) 20 Robert Morris on November 21, 2014 a span of 48 games. 5 HOLY CROSS* L, 0-2 8 Air Force* L, 2-8 9 Air Force* L, 1-5 MUELLER SQUARED: Freshman Mitch Mueller scored the first two 22 Bentley* L, 1-6 goals of his collegiate career and added an assist against Mercyhurst 23 BENTLEY* T, 5-5 (OT) 26 Princeton L, 0-1 two weekends ago to earn himself the Atlantic Hockey Defenseman 29 Mercyhurst* L, 1-3 of the Week honor last week. This marks the second time this season 30 Mercyhurst* L, 3-5 an AIC defender has earned this distinction (Ryan Polin 11/24) and February the sixth major weekly award for AIC this season. Classmate Johnny 5 NIAGARA* L, 0-2 6 NIAGARA* L, 3-4 Mueller (no relation) has also been playing well with four points (2G, 9 UMASS-AMHERST$ L, 3-4 (OT) 2A) over his last four games including the tying goal in the third period 12 RIT* 7:05 p.m. 13 RIT* 7:05 p.m. against UMass on Tuesday. 16 UMASS-LOWELL 7:05 p.m. 19 Holy Cross* 7:05 p.m. 20 HOLY CROSS* 7:05 p.m. MR. NICE GUY: Sophomore right-wing Jackson Dudley has evolved 24 BENTLEY* 7:05 p.m. into an elite play-maker this season for AIC and has moved to the first-line. He is currently third on the team with 13 points on six goals BOLD indicates Home contest and seven assists after just two points during his freshman season. * = Atlantic Hockey Contest + = Brice Alaska Goal Rush He is also the only member of the Yellow Jackets not to commit a $ = MassMutal Center Game penalty so far in 2015-16. 2014-15 Results ABOUT RIT: The Tigers won the Atlantic Hockey Conference and advanced (4-25-7, 4-17-7 Atlantic Hockey) to the second round of the NCAA Tournament one season ago and are Date Opponent Result back at the top of the league this season. They currently stand in third October place, but are just three points behind Robert Morris for the top spot. Josh 10 No. 5 Union L, 3-7 17 Holy Cross* T, 2-2 (OT) Mitchell paces the offense with 24 points and is fourth in Atlantic Hockey 18 Holy Cross* L, 2-3 with 20 assists. Myles Powell leads the Tigers in goals with 11 and has 24 CANISIUS* L, 1-3 25 CANISIUS* L, 2-4 added 10 helpers for 21 points. Christian Short and Mike Rotolo have split 31 Niagara* W, 3-1 time between the pipes and have similar goals against averages and save November 1 Niagara* W, 4-2 percentages. 7 Massachusetts L, 1-7 14 Michigan L, 2-5 15 Michigan L, 3-6 MIDWEEK STRUGGLES: AIC hasn’t faired well in midweek clashes dur- 21 No. 20 ROBERT MORRIS* T, 5-5 (OT) ing the Division I era of the program as they are 10-29-6 on Tuesday’s 22 No. 20 ROBERT MORRIS* L, 0-6 29 Dartmouth L, 2-3 including an 0-7 mark this season following their loss to UMass earlier December this week. AIC also welcomes UMass-Lowell to the Olympia nest Tuesday 5 Canisius* L, 1-3 6 Canisius* T, 4-4 (OT) and close the regular season against Bentley the following Wednesday for 13 BENTLEY* T, 4-4 (OT) a grand total of 9 midweek contests this season. 14 BENTLEY* L, 2-5 30 Clarkson L, 3-4 January POWER OUTAGE: AIC has converted just 1-of-25 power-play chances 2 Army* W, 3-2 (OT) 3 ARMY* L, 3-4 since the start of the second semester dropping them from second in the 9 RIT* T, 3-3 (OT) conference to seventh with a 15.6 percent effectiveness. On the other 10 RIT* L, 2-3 16 Robert Morris* L, 3-5 hand RIT is second in the conference with a 20.4 percent power-play for 17 Robert Morris* L, 4-9 the season. 23 AIR FORCE* L, 1-2 (OT) 24 AIR FORCE* L, 2-6 30 SACRED HEART* T, 4-4 (OT) UP NEXT: AIC hosts Hockey East power UMass-Lowell at the Olympia Ice 31 SACRED HEART* T, 2-2 (OT) Center on Tuesday for a 7:05 p.m. tilt. February 6 MERCYHURST* L, 1-3 7 MERCYHURST* L, 2-5 13 Air Force* L, 3-9 2015-16 14 Air Force* L, 1-3 27 ARMY* W, 4-0 Atlantic Hockey Standings 28 Army* L, 1-5 March 6 Air Force+ L, 1-6 Pl. Team Pts. AHA Overall 7 Air Force+ L, 3-10 1 Robert Morris 32 14-4-4 17-7-4 BOLD = Home 2 Air Force 29 12-5-5 14-9-5 * = Atlantic Hockey Contest += Atlantic Hockey Championship 3 RIT 28 12-6-4 12-11-5 4 Holy Cross 27 11-6-5 13-10-5 5 Mercyhurst 25 12-9-1 14-13-1 2015-16 Atlantic Hockey 6 Bentley 22 9-10-4 11-14-4 Preseason Coaches Poll 7 Canisius 21 8-9-5 8-15-5 8 Army 19 6-9-7 8-11-7 Pl. Team FPV Points 1 Robert Morris 7 97 Sacred Heart 19 8-13-3 10-16-4 2 RIT 4 91 10 Niagara 12 5-15-2 5-20-3 3 Bentley 72 American Int’l 12 5-16-2 5-23-2 4 Canisius 64 5 Sacred Heart 56 6 Holy Cross 55 PRESEASON PICK: The head coaches of Atlantic Hockey picked the Yel- 7 Air Force 47 low Jackets to finish 11th in the league. AIC totaled 10 points, 19 behind 8 Mercyhurst 46 the 10th picked, Army West Point. 9 Niagara 38 10 Army West Point 29 11 American International 10 2015-16 Ice Hockey Quick Facts Gary Wright Head Coach, 32nd Season, Vermont ’76 AIC Information Institution ............................................American International College Location.............................................................Springfield, MA 01109 Gary Wright is entering his 32nd season at the helm of the Founded ........................................................................................1885 Yellow Jacket ice hockey program. He is AIC’s all-time winningest coach, Enrollment ...................................................................................1,700 compiling a 306-583-73 record and is currently the longest tenured Division Athletic Affiliations .................................................NCAA Division II I hockey coach. ...............................................................NCAA Division I (ice hockey) President ................................................................Vincent M. Maniaci In 2013-14, Wright joined a select few NCAA Division I hockey coaches Director of Athletics .....................................................Matt Johnson by posting his 300th career win on Feb. 7 with a 2-1 win over Army. With Nickname .......................................................................Yellow Jackets Wright at the helm, the Yellow Jackets had several notable victories during Colors ...............................................................Gold, Black and White Arena (capacity) ........................................Olympia Ice Center (2,200) the 2013-14 campaign including a 3-2 victory over UMass and a 5-3 win Dimensions .............................................................................200’x85’ versus eventual Atlantic Hockey Association runner-up, Canisius. Conference ..................................................................Atlantic Hockey The 2012-13 season, the Yellow Jackets recorded their best record since Sports Information turning to Division I in the 1998-99 season. AIC’s 12 wins was the most Sports Information Director ............................................John Hanna since 2002-03 (10), and earned them a berth in the Altantic Hockey Cham- Phone ...........................................................................(413) 205-3572 pionship Tournament. Email .....................................................................john.hanna@aic.edu SID Fax .........................................................................(413) 205-3571 The 2007-08 season was highlighted by a pair of ties against Website ......................................................www.aicyellowjackets.com traditional college hockey powers. The Yellow Jackets recorded a 1-1 tie Press Box Phone/SID Cell ...........................................(207) 737-9054 against then 16th-ranked Rensselaer at the annual RPI Holiday Ice Hockey Information Tournament and later tied Dartmouth 3-3.