Box Score

STORRS, CT—The American International College men's ice hockey team (7-24-3, 6-18-3 AHA) dropped a 5-3 decision to the University of Connecticut Huskies (13-17-4, 12-12-3 AHA) in the final game of the regular season for both teams prior to the Atlantic Hockey Tournament, beginning next weekend.

The Huskies struck first, scoring just 2:15 into the contest as senior center Corey Jendras (Abdington, MD) tipped in a point shot from junior left wing Evan Carriere (Ottawa, ON). Senior defenseman Chris Waterstradt (Tulsa, OK) was awarded the second assist on the play.

However, on a power play later in the first frame, junior center Steve Mele (Bronx, N.Y.) one-timed a cross-crease pass from junior right wing Adam Pleskach (Beausejour, MN) to tie the score at the 12:57 mark of the period.

In the second period, UConn struck first again, as senior defenseman Brad Cooper (Boca Raton, FL) one timed a puck high blocker side on AIC junior goalkeeper Ben Meisner (Halifax, N.S.), with assists going to senior left wing Marcello Ranallo (Burnaby, B.C.) and sophomore right wing Billy Latta (West Chester, PA). The goal was scored at the 14:39 mark of the frame.

However, just 1:58 later, with AIC on a power play after a penalty to sophomore right wing Brant Harris (Estevan, SK), Pleskach buried a one-time pass across the slot from senior center Nielsson Arcibal (Vista, CA) and junior defenseman Jeff Ceccacci (Placentia, CA) to tie the game. The goal was Pleskach's team-best fifteenth of the year.

The Huskies struck first in the third as well, as Cooper tallied his second of the night and season, unassisted, at 1:24 of the first frame. Then, just 1:28 later, Harris stuffed home a rebound to make the score 4-2 in favor of the Huskies. The assists on the play went to sophomore center Jordan Sims (Fort Wayne, IN) and sophomore left wing Cole Schneider (Williamsville, N.Y.)

The Yellow Jackets would add a third power play tally later in the third, as Ceccacci got a pass across to the left point for Arcibal, who picked the top corner on the glove side of junior goalkeeper Garrett Bartus (St. Charles, IL) to make it 4-3 at the 13:48 mark of the period.

However, the Yellow Jackets would get no closer, as Cooper would complete the hat trick on his senior night, one-timing a puck into an open net on a rebound at the 17:32 mark of the period. The goal was unassisted.

In net, Meisner stopped 35 of 40 shots he faced in the loss, falling to 7-20-3, while Bartus stopped 20 of 23 shots he faced to improve 13-17-3.

The Huskies, who had already clinched the eighth seed in the tournament, will host the ninth seeded Canisius Golden Griffins, while the Yellow Jackets, who had already clinched the tenth seed, will be on the road to face the seventh-seeded Robert Morris Colonials.