SETTING THE SCENE: The Yellow Jackets have a home-and-home series with Holy Cross, first traveling to Worcester, Mass. on Friday February 3rd before hosting the Crusaders at the Olympia Ice Center Saturday night for a 3:05 p.m. contest.

ABOUT AIC: The American International men's ice hockey team split a home-and-home weekend series with the Pioneers of Sacred Heart. In Friday's game freshman forward Matt Cassidy put AIC on the board in the third period to make it a 3-1 contest, the pioneers went up 4-1 before senior forward Chris Markiewicz scored his first goal of the season for a 4-2 final in favor of the Pioneers. The Yellow Jackets trailed 2-0 before scoring three consecutive goals on its way to a 3-2 overtime win. Junior forward Adam Pleskach and senior forward Nielsson Arcibal had two points each to lead the Yellow Jackets in the victory. Pleskach scored two goals on Saturday night, while Arcibal dished out the assists. Junior forward Steve Mele led AIC in the weekend series with three assists. Junior goaltender Ben Meisner made a total of 52 saves this weekend in net. Pleskach (11 goals, seven assists) and Arcibal (five goals, 13 assists) are tied with 18 points each. Steve Mele has even goals and nine assists for 16 points. Sophomore forward Jon Puskar (five goals, eight assists) and senior forward Michael Penny (three goals, 10 assists) are tied with 13 points each. Meisner is 5-15-2 in net with two shut outs for the Yellow Jackets, a total of 742 saves, .915 save percentage and a 3.11 goals against average.

ABOUT HOLY CROSS: The Crusaders dropped a home-and-home series with Connecticut ,Friday's contest was a 3-1 before getting shutout 3-0 on Saturday. Holy Cross was down 2-0 heading into the third period on Friday night before Kyle Atkins found the back of the net on a slap shot. Sophomore Adam Schmidt and junior forward Kyle Fletcher posted the assists. Sophomore goaltender Derek Kump made 43 saves in the series and is now 1-3-2 for the season, with a total of 130 saves, .897 save percentage and a 2.60 goals against average. Andrew Cox leads the Crusaders with seven goals and 14 assists for 21 points, followed by Erik Vos with 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points. Adam Schmidt (eight goals, eight assists) and Mike Daly (one goal, 15 assists) are tied for third with 16 points each.

ABOUT THE SERIES: AIC is 28-40-8 against Holy Cross, including a 2-1 in the first meeting of the season between the two teams. The Yellow Jackets earned a 1-0 victory against the Crusaders in the 2009-10 season.

LAST TIME THEY MET: AIC dropped a 2-1 decision against Holy Cross on October 15, 2011. Penny scored the Yellow Jackets only goal that night. Mele and Puskar earned the assist.

NEXT UP: AIC will have a home-and-home series with Bentley University, first traveling to Watertown, Mass.on Friday February 10th before hosting the Falcons at the Olympia Ice Center Saturday night for a 7:05 p.m. contest.