Box Score

WEST POINT, N.Y.—The American International College men's ice hockey team (7-23-2, 6-17-2 AHA) earned a 3-2 road victory over conference rival Army (4-19-7, 3-17-5 AHA) at Tate Rink at the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., sweeping the weekend and season series away from Army.

Army got on the board first when senior LW Danny Colvin (Vernon, N.J.) tipped in a shot from the point by freshman defenseman Maurice Alvarez (Cleveland, OH) at 8:44 of the first period, after AIC freshman RW Nathan Sliwinski (Castle Rock, CO) took a slashing penalty earlier in the frame. Black Knights senior C Mike Hull (Grosse Pointe Woods, MI) also earned an assist on the tally.

The Yellow Jackets tied the game in the second period on a turnover in the offensive zone. Senior C Richard Leitner (Los Alamitos, CA) was all alone out in front and fired a wrist shot through the five-hole of junior goalkeeper Ryan Leets (Kentwood, MI) to knot the score at 1-1. The goal, which came at the 8:16 mark of the frame, was assisted by freshman defenseman Jake Williams (Duluth, MN).

The Yellow Jackets scored two goals in the first minute of the third to get to a 3-1 lead. The first was scored by junior RW Adam Pleskach (Beausejour, Man.) off of the back of Leets on a shot from the near side corner at the 0:13 mark of the frame, with junior defenseman Chris Markiewicz (Calgary, AB) getting the assist. Thirty seconds later, senior LW Michael Penny (Calgary, AB) beat Leets high on the glove side with what proved to be the game-winning tally, on an assist by junior defenseman Jeff Ceccacci (Placentia, CA).

Senior LW Mark Dube (Billerica, MA) made it 3-2 on a one-timer that beat junior goalkeeper Ben Meisner (Halifax, N.S.) five-hole at the 11:04 mark of the period. Senior center Mike Hull (Grosse Pointe Woods, MI) and senior RW Kyle Maggard (Cleveland, OH) got the assists on the tally. Army pulled Leets late, but Meisner denied several shots in the final minute to preserve the win.

Overall, Meisner stopped 35 of 37 shots to earn the victory, going to 7-19-2, while Leets turned away 25 of 28 shots in the loss, dropping his record to 4-12-4.

The Yellow Jackets next play their final regular season contests before the 2012 Atlantic Hockey Tournament when they host the University of Connecticut on Friday, February 24 at 7:05 PM, and then head to Storrs, CT, to face the Huskies on Saturday, February 25, also at 7:05 PM. The Friday game will be senior night, where the Yellow Jackets will honor their seniors in a pre-game ceremony.