Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – The American International College men's ice hockey team played well but came up short for the second night in a row losing to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 2-1. With the loss the Yellow Jackets fall to 0-2-0 to start the year, while the win improves the Engineers to 3-2-1 this season. Freshman #Adam Pleskach# (Beausejour, Man.) found the back of the net twice for AIC.

RPI got out to a 1-0 lead when freshman Marty O'Grady (London, Ont.) tallied a goal 5-minutes into the first period with assists from classmates Brandon Pirri (Toronto, Ont.) and Jerry D'Amigo (Binghamton, N.Y.). The Engineers extended their lead to 2-0 when Mike Bergin (Ottawa, Ont.) netted a goal at 8;20 of the second period with assists from Pirri and D'Amigo.

AIC started the comeback in the 18th-minute of the second period when Pleskach buried a shot with assists from junior #Tomas Benovic# (Trencin, Slovakia) and senior #Josh Froese# (Winkler, Man.). The Yellow Jackets tied the game at 2-2 three-minutes into the third period as Pleskach recorded his second goal of the game, this time with an assist from junior #Tom Mele# (Bronx, N.Y.). D'Amigo then scored what would prove to be the game winning goal with less than three-minutes remaining in regulation to propel Rensselaer past AIC 3-2.

Freshman #Ben Meisner# (Halifax, N.S.) made 34 saves in his first career start for AIC, while classmate Bryce Merriam (Bethel Park, Pa.) stopped 18 shots to record the victory.

Next up, the Yellow Jackets travel to Sacred Heart to open Atlantic Hockey play in a weekday game on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.