SPRINGFIELD, Mass.-Despite a strong effort in the first and third periods, the American International ice hockey team fell 4-3 to the Holy Cross Crusaders at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield.

The loss drops AIC to 10-21-1 overall and 9-15-1 in Atlantic Hockey, while Holy Cross improves to 11-18-3 and 10-12-3 in league play.

AIC scored the only goal of the first frame, as junior defenseman Steven Hoshaw (Vista, Calif.) fired a slapshot from the point that was redirected on goal by freshman right wing Dan Clairmont (Bracebridge, Ont.); though his chance was stopped, the rebound came right to senior center Blake Peake (Lethbridge, Alb.), who shot it home for his seventh of the season at 16:00.

However, the Crusaders jumped out on the Yellow Jackets, as freshman left wing Brett McKinnon stole a pass and went in on a breakaway to score his second of the year just :12 into the frame. The Crusaders then took the lead at 3:25, getting a goal from senior center Shayne Stockton, his fifth of the season.

AIC was able to tie the game less than two minutes later, as sophomore defenseman Brandon Lubin (Commerce Township, Mich.) unleashed a slapshot that hit the post and came right to junior right wing Nathan Sliwinski (Castle Rock, Colo.) who sent it right back at the net for his second of the season at 5:22.

The Crusaders were not done, and netted two more in rapid fashion, getting a go-ahead goal from center Jake Youso at 10:29, his second of the year, and then an insurance goal at 11:04 from McKinnon, his third of the season.

That goal turned out to be the winner, as AIC scored in the third, with sophomore defenseman Derek Henderson (Smithfield, R.I.) flipped a puck from in front of his goal line to the opposite blue line to send in sophomore left wing Chris Porter (Stoufville, Ont.) for a breakaway goal, his eleventh of the campaign, at 12:55 of the period.

In the net, freshman Hunter Leisner (Garland, Texas) stopped 28 of 32 shots in the loss to fall to 8-13-1 on the year, while senior Derek Kump stopped 29 of 32 in the win to improve to 3-0-0.

AIC returns to action Friday at Bentley at the John A. Ryan Skating Arena in Watertown, Mass. The puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.