Box Score

WEST SPIRINGFIELD, Mass. – The American International College men's ice hockey team dropped a 2-0 decision to visiting Mercyhurst College Saturday night at the Olympia Ice Center in an Atlantic Hockey contest. The Lakers improved to 6-9-1 overall and 6-5-1 in the AHA, while the Yellow Jackets fell to 2-10-1 and 2-8-1 in conference play.

Mercyhurst broke a scoreless tie 3:03 into the second period when sophomore Derek Elliot (Des Moines, Iowa) fed a centering pass to classmate Patrick Goebel (Independence, Ohio) from behind the net and he buried the shot for his third goal of the season. Freshman Grant Blakey (Canton, Mich.) also helped on the play.

The Lakers lead was extended to 2-0 9:59 into the third period when junior Jesse Echternach (Bemidji, Mich.) put the puck in the net with a slapper from the top of the left circle. Classmates Ryan Raven (Tacoma, Wash.) and Jeff Terminisi (Mississauga, Ont.) assisted on the play.

Both team had quality scoring chances throughout the contest.

Mercyhurst junior goaltender Ryan Zapolski (Erie, Pa.) robbed senior #Mike McMillan# (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) twice with just over three minutes to go in the first period, first off a centering feed from senior #Josh Froese# (Winkler, Man.) and again on the rebound attempt. Zapolski stopped the initial shot with the left pad and gloved the rebound attempt while sprawled on the ice.

Zapolski was again up to the task when he stopped junior #Mike Little# (Enfield, Conn.) on a shorthanded breakaway with nine minutes left in second period and stopped Froese twice on the 2-1 rush with two minutes remaining in the second frame.

Junior netminder #Dan Ramirez# (Rochester, N.Y.) stopped junior Mike Gurtler (Rochester, N.Y.) on a 2-1 break with 1:06 left in second, stopping the shot and then pinning the puck at side of net. He later stopped junior Steve Cameron (Mission, B.C.) with 1:16 to go in the third and the rebound went right to Terminisi, whose shot went wide of the open net.

Ramirez had 32 saves in goal for the Yellow Jackets, while had Zapolski had 36 stops for the Lakers. Mercyhurst was 0-for-7 on the power play, while the Yellow Jackets were 0-for-5 with the man advantage.

AIC will next travel to Air Force for the opening game of a weekend series December 4 at 7:05 p.m. The two teams will meet again December 5 at 7:05 p.m. in Colorado Springs.