(Rochester, N.Y.)- The SUNY Canton men's ice hockey team rang in the New Year with a convincing 9-3 win over Rochester Institute of Technology in an ACHA Division I game Saturday in Rochester.

The 12th-ranked Roos were playing their first game since capturing the Blizzard in Buffalo Tournament for the second straight year in early December but the layoff didn't matter as they kept their unbeaten record intact improving to 19-0-3 overall and 4-0 in the Eastern Collegiate Hockey League.

The Roos are one of the highest scoring teams in the ACHA averaging nearly seven goals a game while generating over 46 shots per contest.  On Saturday the Roos overwhelmed the Tigers with a 55-21 shots on goal advantage.

Sophomore Michael Pittman (Amarillo, Texas) stopped 18 of 21 shots to earn his second straight win and tie teammate Morgan Barr (Almonte, Ontario) with eight wins on the season.

The Roos wasted no time jumping on RIT when freshman Dave Schneider (Indianapolis, Ind.) netted his team-leading 21st goal of the year just 1:35 into the first period from juniors Corey Frizell (Orleans, Ontario) and Brad Wilson (Orleans, Ontario).  Senior Darren Camp (Canton, N.Y.) gave the Roos a 2-0 advantage after one stanza when he connected with nine seconds left for his 12th goal.

RIT trimmed the lead in half when Brendon Domos snuck one past Pittman at the 2:35 mark of the second period.  The Roos responded with goals from freshman J.R. Lafferty (Williamstown, N.J.), who led the Roos in scoring after the first semester, and freshman Thomas Freeman (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.).  The Tigers scored again before the period ended and the score was 4-2 in favor of the visitors after two.

The third period was all SUNY Canton as they poured in five goals after the Tigers pulled within one score with a goal midway through the period.  Sophomore Cory Giczewski (Fountain Valley, Calif.), freshman Austin Root (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), Lafferty, senior Dan Cibelli (Liverpool, N.Y.), and freshman Bill Ousey (Fairless Hills, Pa.) each scored to put the game away and keep the Roos undefeated.  Frizell finished with three assists and freshman Tony Carden (Franklin, Mass.) had two. 

Ian Harris stopped 46 shots for RIT. 

The Roos are off until next Saturday, Jan. 14 when they hit the road again for a game at Syracuse University at 6:30 p.m. at the Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion.